My child is 18 or will turn 18 before we apply for ILR. Do they need the B2 test?

Probably yes, if they are 18 or older on the day the application is made and the application is made on or after 26 March 2027. The Rules exempt only people who are under 18 on the date of application, so the age on that day is what counts.

Why the date of application matters so much

Appendix KoLL says the English requirement does not apply to someone "under 18 years of age at the date of his or her application". A child who is 17 when the family applies is not tested. A son or daughter who turned 18 a week earlier is treated as an adult for this rule. If the family applies on or after 26 March 2027, that adult needs the B2 speaking and listening level on the routes that moved to B2 (see Do I need B2 English for ILR?).

Life in the UK Test too

The same age rule applies to the Life in the UK Test: it is not needed under 18. An adult child applying for ILR usually needs both, unless an exemption applies. See Do I still need the Life in the UK Test?.

Ways an adult child may already meet it

• A degree taught or researched in English (UK degree, or confirmed by Ecctis): see Does my degree count?.
• English GCSE or A level from UK schooling begun before 18 is accepted by Appendix English Language on some settlement routes, but not on the routes that go through Appendix KoLL. Whether it helps depends on the route your child applies on, so check GOV.UK.
• A B2 speaking and listening test taken no more than 2 years before the application.

What we cannot tell you

Children's settlement rules differ by route, and each route has its own conditions about applying with a parent. We only cover the English requirement here. Check GOV.UK for the route your child is applying on, or ask a regulated adviser.

Quick check

The free checker asks for the age on the date of application and answers on that basis.

Last checked against GOV.UK: 21 October 2026.

Sources

1. Immigration Rules: Appendix KoLL (updated 26 March 2026) (GOV.UK, checked 21 Oct 2026)
2. Immigration Rules: Appendix English Language (GOV.UK, checked 20 Oct 2026)
3. Immigration Rules: Appendix Skilled Worker (SW 22A.1, SW 44.1) (GOV.UK, checked 20 Oct 2026)
4. Life in the UK Test (GOV.UK, checked 21 Oct 2026)

This is general information, not immigration advice. Check GOV.UK for your own route, or speak to a regulated immigration adviser (registered with the IAA, formerly OISC). Find a regulated adviser on GOV.UK.