British citizenship test · Topic guide

UK history for the citizenship test

From the Romans to Brexit — the dates, monarchs, wars and inventions you actually need to memorise.

Early Britain (pre-1066)

Romans invaded in AD 43 and left around AD 410. Anglo-Saxons settled afterwards. Vikings raided from the late 8th century. The country was unified under King Alfred the Great in the 9th century.

Norman Conquest to Magna Carta

1066 — William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings. 1215 — King John sealed Magna Carta, establishing that the king was subject to the law. These are the two most-tested early dates in the entire handbook.

Tudors and Stuarts

Henry VIII broke from Rome (1534). Elizabeth I defeated the Spanish Armada (1588). Charles I was executed (1649) after the Civil War. The Bill of Rights (1689) limited royal power.

Industrial Revolution

Britain led the world in steam power, railways, and textile manufacturing. Key inventions: the steam engine (Watt), the spinning jenny (Hargreaves), and the locomotive (Stephenson).

Modern era

WWI (1914–18) and WWII (1939–45) shaped the modern UK. The NHS was founded in 1948. The UK joined the EEC in 1973 and left the EU in 2020.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the British citizenship test?

The official Life in the UK test has 24 multiple-choice questions. You must answer at least 18 correctly (75%) to pass. You have 45 minutes to complete it.

How much does the official UK citizenship test cost?

The official test costs £50 and is booked via gov.uk. Our practice platform is independent: 2 tests are completely free; £9.99 unlocks the remaining 43 plus training mode and cheat sheets — one-off payment, no subscription.

What is the pass mark for the Life in the UK test?

You need 18 correct answers out of 24 — that is 75%. Our practice tests use the same scoring so you can benchmark yourself realistically.

Is the British citizenship test hard?

It is fact-heavy rather than trick-based. Most candidates pass after 4–8 hours of practice if they use exam-format tests and a community-reviewed question bank like ours.

Which book does the test come from?

All official questions are drawn from "Life in the United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents (3rd edition)". Every question on our site is mapped to that handbook.

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