Change of https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/knowledge-of-life-and-language-in-the-uk

Change description : 2025-12-19 13:23:00: New ‘Certificates’ section added to include Postgraduate Certificates (PGCert). Clarification added to ‘Evidence of physical or mental condition’ section about exemption requirements. [Guidance and regulation]

Showing diff : 2025-05-01 08:01:50.332917187 +00:00..2025-12-19 13:24:07.081497804 +00:00

Guidance

Knowledge of language and life in the UK: caseworker guidance

Immigration staff guidance on the knowledge of language and life in the UK requirement.

Documents

Knowledge of language and life in the UK caseworker guidance

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

UK Visas and Immigration guidance on how staff make decisions about applications for naturalisation and indefinite leave to remain that need to meet the knowledge of language and life in the UK requirement.

Updates to this page

Published 28 October 2013
Last updated 119 MayDecember 2025 + show all updates
  1. Updated links to the Ecctis website in the ‘evidence from NARIC’ and ‘diplomas’ sections.

Sign up for emails or print this page

Update history

2025-12-19 13:23
New ‘Certificates’ section added to include Postgraduate Certificates (PGCert). Clarification added to ‘Evidence of physical or mental condition’ section about exemption requirements.

2025-05-01 09:00
Updated links to the Ecctis website in the ‘evidence from NARIC’ and ‘diplomas’ sections.

2024-07-09 11:24
Additional paragraph on page 8 informing caseworkers that applicants should provide medical information alongside their completed medical exemption forms.

2022-11-24 12:17
The information has been updated to reflect that British overseas territories citizens will be accepted as majority English speakers for the purposes of meeting the English language part of the Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK requirement. This is to bring guidance in line with the Autumn 2022 changes to the Immigration Rules, where the British overseas territories have been added to the Majority English Speaking Country (MESC) list.