UK Ancestry ILR: will I need B2 English?

Yes, if you apply for ILR on or after 26 March 2027 and no exemption applies: UK Ancestry is on the Home Office's list of routes moving from B1 to B2 in speaking and listening. Nationals of a majority-English-speaking country on the GOV.UK list, such as Australia, Canada or New Zealand, do not need to prove English at all.

Where this comes from

The Explanatory Memorandum to HC 1691 lists UK Ancestry among the routes whose settlement English requirement moves from B1 to B2, through Appendix KoLL. The date that counts is the date of your ILR application.

Nationality: check the list carefully

Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica and the other countries on the GOV.UK list do not need to prove English. Some Commonwealth countries are not on the list even though English is an official language there, for example South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana or India. See Which nationalities do not need a test?.

A degree taught in English

A UK degree, or a degree confirmed by Ecctis as taught or researched in English, meets the requirement with no date limit. See Does my degree count?.

If you need a test

It must be a Secure English Language Test in speaking and listening at B2, taken no more than 2 years before you apply. See Which English tests count?.

Quick check

The free checker asks for your nationality and route.

Last checked against GOV.UK: 21 October 2026.

Sources

1. HC 1691 Explanatory Memorandum (paragraphs 5.60 to 5.62) (GOV.UK, checked 20 Oct 2026)
2. Immigration Rules: Appendix KoLL (updated 26 March 2026) (GOV.UK, checked 21 Oct 2026)
3. Prove your knowledge of English: who does not need to prove it (GOV.UK, checked 21 Oct 2026)
4. Prove your knowledge of English: degrees taught or researched in English (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.