What happens if you fail the Life in the UK Test, and how to retake it
Facts checked on GOV.UK on 3 October 2026.
The short answer
If you fail the Life in the UK Test, you can book it again. There is no limit on the number of tries. You pay the full fee of £50 each time you book.
How many times can you take it?
As many times as you need. GOV.UK puts no limit on the number of bookings, and you pay for each one (What happens at the test). The Home Office guidance for caseworkers agrees: a person can sit the test again and again until they pass (caseworker guidance).
GOV.UK gives no waiting time between two tries. But you must book each test at least 3 days before the test date (Book the Life in the UK Test).
How do you find out that you failed?
You get your result on the day of the test (test format). Since 17 December 2019, you also get an email with your unique reference number, for a pass or a fail. Your result also shows in your Life in the UK account (caseworker guidance).
To pass, you need a score of 75% or more. The test has 24 questions, so that is 18 correct answers. If you get 17 or fewer correct, you fail.
What it costs to try again
Each booking costs £50. A refund is possible only in some cases, for example when you cancel at least 3 days before the test, or when the test centre cancels it (Cancellations, refunds and complaints).
How to prepare for the next try
- Write down the subjects that felt hard. For example, dates, kings and queens, or how Parliament works.
- Read those parts of the handbook again. The questions come only from the handbook, Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents.
- Do practice questions on those subjects first, then full mock tests.
- Book again when you get 18 or more correct, time after time, in the mock tests.
Our practice app has a Focus mode. It puts the questions that you get wrong first, so your study time goes to your weak areas.
Your application
You need a pass to apply for settlement or British citizenship, unless you are exempt. This page does not give immigration advice. If a failed test affects an application that you already sent, read the guidance for your application on GOV.UK, or ask a regulated immigration adviser.