Is there an IELTS Life Skills B2 test for ILR?
Not today. When we checked, the Home Office's approved test list had no B2 test that covers only speaking and listening, so there is no IELTS Life Skills B2 on it.
Why people search for it
IELTS Life Skills is a speaking and listening test, and many people used it at B1 for settlement. From 26 March 2027 most ILR applications need B2 in speaking and listening (see Do I need B2 English for ILR?), so it is natural to look for a B2 version. IELTS Life Skills is on GOV.UK's list of approved SELTs, offered by the IELTS SELT Consortium, but the approved list does not include a B2 version.
What is on the list at B2
The approved list on GOV.UK was still the October 2025 version when we checked. Its B2 tests are tests of all four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing): IELTS for UKVI, LanguageCert Academic and General SELT, PTE Academic UKVI and Trinity ISE. Before booking any test for ILR, check on the approved list and with the provider that the test and the result you need are accepted for settlement.
Will a B2 speaking and listening test appear?
Possibly. Trinity College London has announced GESE Grade 7 as a speaking and listening test for this, but it was not on the approved list when we checked. We re-check the list and will update Which English tests count for ILR at B2? when it changes. We do not name any one test as "the" test.
Should I wait or book now?
Two rules help you decide. First, B2 is needed only if you apply on or after 26 March 2027 (see When does the B2 rule start?). Second, a SELT must be taken no more than 2 years before the date of your application. A test that is not on the approved list will not count. And you may not need a test at all: the free checker takes about two minutes.
Last checked against GOV.UK: 21 October 2026.
Sources
- Prove your English language abilities with a Secure English Language Test (SELT), last updated 12 October 2026, GOV.UK (checked 21 Oct 2026)
- Immigration Rules: Appendix KoLL (updated 8 October 2026), GOV.UK (checked 20 Oct 2026)
- Prove your knowledge of English: approved English language qualifications, 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.