British citizenship needs B1 in speaking and listening. So does settlement if you apply before 26 March 2027; on or after that date it is B2. Here are the tests that count and what they cost.
British citizenship applicants aged 18 to 64, unless exempt. If you settled with a B1 or higher result, it still counts, even if it has run out.
Settlement applicants on the routes that need a test, if they apply before 26 March 2027.
Partners and adult children of Skilled Workers settling before 26 March 2027.
What B1 means
At B1 you can follow the main points of clear speech about work, home and local life, deal with everyday situations, describe experiences and plans, and give short reasons for your opinions.
What the tests ask
Trinity GESE Grade 5 (in the UK): 10 minutes, a topic you prepare and a conversation on two subjects the examiner chooses.
PTE Home B1: 22 minutes.
LanguageCert B1 speaking and listening and IELTS Life Skills B1: short tests at an approved centre.
Questions
Which B1 test is best for citizenship?
Any approved B1 speaking and listening test counts the same: IELTS Life Skills B1, PTE Home B1, LanguageCert B1 speaking and listening, Trinity GESE Grade 5 in the UK, or PSI Skills for English B1 outside the UK. Choose by date, centre and format.
How much is the B1 English test?
In the UK, on the providers' sites on 12 October 2026: Trinity GESE Grade 5 £160, LanguageCert B1 speaking and listening £160, PTE Home B1 £170. IELTS Life Skills prices are set by each centre.
Will citizenship need B2 from 2027?
The 26 March 2027 change is to the settlement rules. Citizenship asks for B1 in speaking and listening (Form AN guidance, July 2026).
I am applying for ILR in 2027. B1 or B2?
Before 26 March 2027, B1. On or after it, B2. If you may apply after that date, aim for B2.
Four B1 speaking and listening practice tests, marked against our B1 line, for 12 months.
Four B1 practice tests: two recordings and ten questions each
Every answer marked, with the reason and the transcript
A speaking task in each test, read against the band descriptors
Your first sitting of each test saved, so you can see your progress
Access for 12 months, until 13 October 2027. Sit all four B1 practice tests, the last at least four weeks after the first. If your last test is below our B1 line and no higher than your first, we refund the £29 in full. Or ask for a full refund within 14 days of paying, for any reason.
By paying you agree to our Terms and get access straight away, which ends your 14-day cancellation right. Your full refund within 14 days, for any reason, still applies.