If you’re planning your route to settlement, there’s a firm date worth knowing: 26 March 2027. From that date, the English language requirement for settlement rises from B1 to B2 on the CEFR scale. This was confirmed in the Home Office’s Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, HC 1691 (5 March 2026).
This is about that specific change: what B1 to B2 actually means, who it affects, and why it doesn’t change anything about the Life in the UK test itself.
What’s actually changing
B1 and B2 are levels on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Right now, most settlement applications need B1: you can hold a conversation, follow the gist of most things said to you, and explain yourself reasonably well, even if you hesitate or make mistakes.
B2 is a step up. It means holding a fluent conversation with a native speaker without much strain on either side, following most of what’s said even when people speak at natural speed, and expressing yourself clearly on familiar topics.
This applies to speaking and listening. It covers a range of settlement routes, including:
- Skilled Worker
- Appendix FM family routes
- Long Residence
- Private life routes
The date that matters is when you submit your application, not when it’s decided. If your application is submitted on or after 26 March 2027, B2 applies. If you submit before that date, the current B1 requirement stands, even if the decision itself comes through afterwards.
The exemptions haven’t changed
It’s worth saying plainly: the existing exemptions remain in place. You’re still exempt if you’re a national of a majority English-speaking country, a graduate of a UK degree taught in English, aged 65 or over, under 18, or have a qualifying medical condition.
If you already fall into one of these categories, this change doesn’t touch you.
This isn’t a new combined requirement, it’s an existing one getting stricter
It’s worth being precise here, because it’s easy to read this as part of the separate, still-unconfirmed “Earned Settlement” proposals (the plan to extend the standard ILR qualifying period from five years to ten). It isn’t. The rule that you need to pass the Life in the UK test and separately show your English level has been the settlement framework since October 2013, not something Earned Settlement introduces. What’s confirmed and changing is only the English threshold within that existing structure: B1 moving to B2 from 26 March 2027.
That means passing the Life in the UK test has never reduced or replaced what you need to show in English, and meeting the English requirement has never reduced what you need to know for the test. They’ve always sat side by side. What’s different from March 2027 is simply how high the English bar is set.
What this means for how you prepare
The Life in the UK test hasn’t changed. It’s still the same 24 questions on British history, traditions and everyday life, in the time you already know. What’s changing is what sits alongside it for many applicants.
If your settlement application will fall after March 2027, it’s worth treating your English level and your Life in the UK study as two separate goals, not one combined task. Studying facts about Parliament won’t move your CEFR level. Practising conversational English won’t prepare you for a question about the Battle of Hastings. Both need their own attention.
A note on the rules
Immigration rules change, and some detail here, such as exactly how the transition is administered, may be refined before March 2027. This article reflects information available at the time of writing. Always check the latest official guidance on the UK government website, or speak to a qualified immigration adviser, before making decisions about your own application.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the B2 English requirement for settlement take effect?
For applications submitted on or after 26 March 2027. If you submit before that date, the current B1 requirement applies, even if your application is still being decided after that date.
Does this mean I now need to pass the Life in the UK test and an English test?
Yes, but this isn’t new. Passing the Life in the UK test and separately demonstrating your English level have both been required since October 2013. What’s changing in March 2027 is only the English threshold, from B1 to B2, not the fact that both are required.
Are the exemptions changing along with the threshold?
No. Nationals of majority English-speaking countries, UK graduates, those aged 65 or over, those under 18, and people with qualifying medical conditions remain exempt, exactly as they are today.
Is this related to the proposed 10-year ILR “Earned Settlement” plan?
No. The B2 change is a confirmed rule change with a fixed date. The 10-year qualifying period is a separate, still-unconfirmed proposal. Treat them as two different things, one settled, one not.
One thing worth remembering: none of this changes what the Life in the UK test itself is asking of you. It’s still a test of knowledge you can prepare for properly, at your own pace, without needing to guess. Try two Haven lessons free. No card needed.