We urge the Government to amend immigration rules and exempt individuals who have legally resided and paid taxes in the UK for 10+ years from taking the Life in the UK Test when applying for settlement or citizenship.

We think this would remove an irrelevant and unfair barrier to British citizenship for integrated long-term residents. We think the Life in the UK Test unfairly burdens long-term, contributing residents. After a decade of living and paying taxes here, we think their integration into British society is clear. We think that expecting them to pass a test that we think would be failed by many native-born citizens, highlights its irrelevance and arbitrary difficulty. We think this unnecessary barrier undermines the citizenship process for genuinely integrated individuals who have built lives in the UK, which may cause frustration and hinder a smooth path to full citizenship for loyal taxpayers.