The Language and Knowledge of Life Requirements in the UK

1
The Language and Knowledge of Life Requirements
in the UK

• Bharti Patel
• The UK Advisory Board on Naturalisation and
  Integration (ABNI)

2
ABNI - An independent advisory body established
by the Government in November 2004

• To advise on
• The implementation of the requirement to show an
  understanding of English and Life in the UK
  (Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002)
• English and a Knowledge of Life in the UK are
  requirements for British Citizenship or permanent
  residence in the UK

3
Naturalisation statistics 2007

• 164,635 grants of Citizenship(10,540 on previous
  year)
• 53 on the basis of residence
• 18 on the basis of marriage
• 25 of minor children
• Main nationalities
• India 9
• Philippines 7
• Afghanistan 6
• South Africa 5
• Pakistan 5
• (figures for 2007)

• 2,365 cases refused for insufficient English and
  KOL

4
Settlement Statistics 2006

• 134,430 Grants of Settlement in 2006
• Family union 66
• Work related purposes 12
• Asylum related reasons 14
• Discretionary basis 5
• Other 3

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Background to English and Knowledge of Life in
the UK

• Introduced by then Home Secretary, Rt Hon David
  Blunkett MP
• To make the process of gaining British citizen
  meaningful and celebratory and
• Increase integration i.e. participation in public
  life
• (previous requirement for a Knowledge of English,
  but rarely enforced)

6
The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002
Requirements

• To show an understanding of English (or Scottish,
  Welsh or Gaelic)
• To show a knowledge of life in the UK
• For new British citizens-to take an citizenship
  oath and pledge of allegiance at a citizenship
  ceremony

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Assessment Two Routes

• For those with good English
• An on-line test based on a prescribed text Life
  in the UK Handbook
• For those with lower English Language Skills
• An English Language Course (ESOL) with
  Citizenship ( and show progress by one level at
  Entry Level)

8
The Life in the UK Test

• Majority of applicants (80-95 take this route
• Over 100 Test Centres around the UK
• Fee for each attempt is 34
• Test consists of 24 online questions all multiple
  or binary choice, pass mark is 75
• No limit to the number of times the test can be
  taken
• Website www.lifeintheuktest.gov.uk

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The Life in the UK Handbook

• The Making of the United Kingdom
• A Changing Society
• A profile of the UK today
• How the United Kingdom is Governed
• Everyday Needs
• Employment
• Knowing the Law
• Sources of Information
• Building Better Communities

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Sample Questions

• What does an MP do? How often are elections held?
  Who forms the government?
• How would you find a dentist? Which groups of
  people receive free dental treatment?
• How would a person get a driving licence? How
  long can overseas driving licences be used for in
  the UK?

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The Life in the UK Test- Issues

• 572,789 people have taken the test as at April
  2008
• By April 2008, 41 of the tests were for
  settlement
• The current pass-rate is 73.9
• Lower pass rates for some nationalities e.g.
• Afghanistan47.2
• Bangladesh 47.7
• Turkey 45

• Factors behind failure could include
• Insufficient levels of English and levels of
  previous education.
• Failure to study the official handbook
• A belief that residual knowledge from residence
  in the UK is sufficient
• ABNI recommendation 2007 Annual Report that these
  arrangements are evaluated not least to discover
  if the arrangements are contributing to the
  policy objectives

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ESOL Route

• Generally one year to make the necessary progress
• Rate of progress is affected by level of previous
  education, access to high quality learning and
  opportunity for interaction
• ESOL classes an excellent opportunity for
  interaction with other groups
• More scope for facilitation of active citizenship
  within classes
• Long waiting lists for classes in some areas
• Difficulty for those who work long hours to
  attend classes
• Evidence that some people will attempt the test
  rather than embarking on an ESOL course

13
Future Developments

• Recommendations from Lord Goldsmiths independent
  review of citizenship
• That the test and Handbook should encompass a
  local element
• That the Life in the UK Test is revised so that
  it supports real learning (not rote learning)

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Future Developments

• Current Government consultations
• Home Office proposals to speed up the acquisition
  of citizenship through earning credits from
  volunteering and other active citizenship.
  Introduction of probationary citizenship.
• DIUS proposals to target ESOL resources on areas
  with community cohesion issues or within a
  national framework of priority groups e.g. legal
  residents, excluded women, those without a
  secondary education or literacy in their own
  language, refugees.