- Only 17% of respondents could answer all questions from Life in the UK Test correctly
- Two thirds of Brits would fail Life in the UK Test according to study from Essex University
LONDON, UK. January 23rd, 2025: Latest data conducted by the Immigration Advice Service has revealed Brits are stumped by questions in their own citizenship test.
The survey demonstrated significant knowledge gaps amongst Brits in regards to their own culture and traditions particularly amongst younger generations. Almost half (45%) of Gen Z and Millennials couldn’t correctly name Henry VIII’s first wife and over half (56%) didn’t know that the Cavaliers and Roundheads were the main protagonists of the Civil War.
The survey demonstrated significant knowledge gaps amongst Brits in regards to their own culture and traditions particularly amongst younger generations. Almost half (45%) of Gen Z and Millennials couldn’t correctly name Henry VIII’s first wife and over half (56%) didn’t know that the Cavaliers and Roundheads were the main protagonists of the Civil War.
The study, conducted by the Immigration Advice Service, surveyed 2,000 Brits and posed questions from the Life in the UK Test, a requirement for those seeking British citizenship or settlement. The survey shows a significant number of Brits are unable to answer questions featured in the citizenship test, raising serious questions as to its fairness and suitability to determine citizenship which according to a study by Essex University two-thirds of Brits would fail.
Further findings from the survey include that 10% of respondents were unaware the Battle of the Somme occurred during the First World War, a quarter of Brits didn’t know the UK’s first Prime Minister and questions like “Which country is Swansea in?” stumped 10% of Gen Z respondents.
The research revealed only 17% of Brits correctly answered all questions in the survey based on the Life in the UK Test, with older generations displaying better knowledge than their younger counterparts.
- Baby Boomers: 27% correctly answered all questions
- Generation X: 18% correctly answered all questions
- Millennials: 11% correctly answered all questions
- Gen Z: 11% correctly answered all questions
Ono Okeregha, Director at the Immigration Advice Service said: “These findings highlight the need for a national conversation - not only about how we remember our history, but also about how we determine citizenship.
"The Life in the UK Test is designed to assess whether someone who is seeking to become a British Citizen understands the history, culture and values of the UK. But if our survey shows that many native-born Brits, including younger generations, struggle with the same knowledge, it begs the question: are we asking the right things?
"It’s time to reassess whether a test that many native Britons struggle with, and better resembles a pub quiz than effective means to determine citizenship, is fit for purpose.”
"The Life in the UK Test is designed to assess whether someone who is seeking to become a British Citizen understands the history, culture and values of the UK. But if our survey shows that many native-born Brits, including younger generations, struggle with the same knowledge, it begs the question: are we asking the right things?
"It’s time to reassess whether a test that many native Britons struggle with, and better resembles a pub quiz than effective means to determine citizenship, is fit for purpose.”
The Immigration Advice Service argues that the findings cast doubt on the fairness of the Life in the UK Test, a requirement for those seeking British citizenship or settlement. The test, designed to evaluate knowledge of British history, culture, and governance, overly relies on knowledge of obscure historical facts and is too disconnected from being a good citizen in practice.
ENDS
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