'I'm taking citizenship test amid immigration fears'

Questions about executed kings and obscure historical facts are among those Cristina has been revising in order to take the Life in the UK test - despite not being required to pass it.

Originally from the Philippines, the 30-year-old moved to England in 2008 when she was 11 and has lived in the country ever since.

She works as a personal assistant for families who have children with additional needs, and also teaches English to adults from other countries settling in the country.

Although she was granted indefinite leave to remain (ILR) status, Cristina , from a village in Shropshire, said she had chosen to take the test because of her growing uncertainty about future immigration policy in England - and what it could mean for her future.

She said recent political debates left her feeling that nothing was entirely guaranteed, even for people who have lived in the UK for most of their lives.

"I am doing it because I want to, but also because of the current political situation; we just don't know what's going to happen in the future," Cristina, who did not want to give her full name, said.

"Certain political parties aren't very pro-immigration and I just kind of felt a lot more pressure to secure my future."

The current Labour government has proposed doubling the wait for ILR from five to 10 years - plans which have faced opposition from within its own ranks.

The right, also known as settlement, gives a person the right to live, work and study in the UK for as long as they like and apply for benefits if they are eligible.

Last year, Reform UK also set out plans to abolish ILR altogether, requiring migrants to repeatedly reapply for visas under stricter conditions.

The Home Office said people wanting to make a permanent home in the UK should be able to integrate into society with an "appropriate level of English" and "an understanding of British life".

"I've lived here since I was a child, but you still get that uncertainty in the background," Cristina said.

"That is part of the thing that has stopped me [from taking the test] for a while - I can imagine it's probably the same for a lot of people. But it just feels like a lot more urgency now to just get this sorted for myself."

The Life in the UK test has 24 questions that takes up to 45 minutes to complete, and is a requirement for people applying for British citizenship or settlement in the UK.

The questions cover British history, law and traditions, with candidates needing at least 18 correct answers.

Cristina said she had revised material that included questions such as 'which king was executed in 1649' and geography-based prompts like identifying where Loch Lomond is located.

She said she understood the principle of testing knowledge about the UK, but questioned whether some of the content reflected what people actually needed to know in order to live and participate in society.

"I am lucky enough to have actually studied history in GCSE and A level," Cristina said. "So I've always loved history.

"But in terms of what I actually need to know about the UK, I think the main things that I find useful to know is: how the government works, what laws I need to kind of abide by or what are the British values.

"I think that's actually more relevant than previous kings and queens and all of that stuff."

In 2018, a House of Lords committee report on citizenship and civic engagement criticised elements of the Life in the UK test, arguing it focused too heavily on obscure knowledge rather than practical understanding.

Despite her concerns, Cristina said the process made her reflect on identity and belonging after well over a decade in England.

She said: "The way to know the culture is to be in it, and to be immersed in it, and to understand the people that live in it.

"I do feel English, but I also hold my Filipino nationality - I'm proud of both."

A Home Office spokesperson added: "The current Life in the UK test is informed by independent experts in citizenship, integration and education and reflects our democratic principles, culture and traditions, central to British life.

"We committed to refreshing the test and how it operates in our Immigration White Paper."

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