Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I failed my life in Britain mock test

418 replies

Britishfailure · 04/10/2025 21:24

So I am a European citizen who has lived in London for 3 decades married to a Brit and raised 2 children. I have been toying with the idea of citizenship I light
of the Reform “we want to deport you all” rhetoric.

I took the mock citizenship test tonight and scored 71% which was not enough to pass. However, I made my British DH and children take it too and I actually scored way higher than they did.

The test is honestly crazy. Questions about roast beef. Honestly so weird. I think I won’t bother becoming a British citizen as I really don’t like roast beef 😂

OP posts:
RatherTardy · 04/10/2025 22:03

Britishfailure · 04/10/2025 21:39

My point is British people themselves can’t pass this test unless they study for it which is a bit strange isn’t it. I have lived here for 30 years without any major issues and all of a sudden I can’t get citizenship because I cannot answer questions on roast beef 😂

Just took it.

got 83% 🤷‍♀️

GarlicBreadStan · 04/10/2025 22:02

I got 58% and guessed half of the ones I got right 🤣

CrinaCara · 04/10/2025 22:01

DappledThings · 04/10/2025 21:57

I got 21 out of 24. But at least one question was incorrectly worded. Which religion were the Puritans? With Protestant and Catholic being options. Both Catholic and Protestant are Christian but both are denominations, not a religion. Christian would be the only correct answer to that question.

Catholicism doesn't view itself as a denomination.

Christwosheds · 04/10/2025 22:00

Oh just tried again with test 2 and passed with 79% 🙂

cadburyegg · 04/10/2025 22:00

Yanbu

I’m about as British as you can get, am a citizen, born here, all of my family were born here.

I scored much less on that test than my ex boss who was applying for indefinite leave to remain. Absolute madness.

DappledThings · 04/10/2025 21:58

CosyMintFish · 04/10/2025 21:56

79% but that must have been a scam site. There was a question on which flag wasn’t in the Union Jack, and it included Ireland and Wales. Neither are in it. Northern Ireland yes, Ireland no.

Ireland is represented in the flag by the cross of St Patrick

CrinaCara · 04/10/2025 21:57

I think the online tests are a bit harder than the actual one you sit. Some of the questions are a bit obscure but it's just a case of putting the time in.

Best luck with your application

DappledThings · 04/10/2025 21:57

I got 21 out of 24. But at least one question was incorrectly worded. Which religion were the Puritans? With Protestant and Catholic being options. Both Catholic and Protestant are Christian but both are denominations, not a religion. Christian would be the only correct answer to that question.

CosyMintFish · 04/10/2025 21:56

79% but that must have been a scam site. There was a question on which flag wasn’t in the Union Jack, and it included Ireland and Wales. Neither are in it. Northern Ireland yes, Ireland no.

Britishfailure · 04/10/2025 21:56

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 04/10/2025 21:52

You'll be great in a quiz team @Britishfailure

i am actually amazing at quizzes

OP posts:
Christwosheds · 04/10/2025 21:55

I just did it and got 67% . I am British but not English.

scalt · 04/10/2025 21:55

I wonder if those “patriots” Farage and Johnson would pass it?

stuckdownahole · 04/10/2025 21:55

Britishfailure · 04/10/2025 21:50

I think at the very least you should expect these to be questions British citizens could answer, mais non?

Have you not heard of "Keep Calm And Carry On"?

You appear to be failing at that too. This is really a very minor inconvenience given that you can re-take the test however many times you require to pass.

JSMill · 04/10/2025 21:55

Dh studied for it while sitting in departure lounges or in taxis. He passed easily and didn’t grumble about having to take it. I would most likely fail the driving theory test if you made me take it tomorrow. I have been driving for 35+ years. Does that mean the driving theory test is pointless?

petitpasta · 04/10/2025 21:54

Yep, just failed with 63%.

Algen · 04/10/2025 21:54

Britishfailure · 04/10/2025 21:50

I think at the very least you should expect these to be questions British citizens could answer, mais non?

Hypothetically, yes, but have you seen some of the people on quiz shows? It would need to be dumbed down so far that it would be even more pointless.

Algen · 04/10/2025 21:52

I did one of the online quizzes with my mother the other day - both of us British by birth with reasonable general knowledge.

I passed, she narrowly failed - largely because my medieval history knowledge is better than hers. Neither of us knew how many people were on a Scottish jury (and nor would that ever be relevant as we don’t live in Scotland and have no plans to move there - a bit like I wouldn’t necessarily expect Scottish people to know how many people were on an English jury)

wizzbitt · 04/10/2025 21:52

YANBU for not liking roast beef😂.
I just took a mock test and got 63%. UK citizen 🤦🏿‍♀️

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 04/10/2025 21:52

You'll be great in a quiz team @Britishfailure

Britishfailure · 04/10/2025 21:50

I think at the very least you should expect these to be questions British citizens could answer, mais non?

OP posts:
mindutopia · 04/10/2025 21:50

It’s really weird, but the actual test is very easy. It’s basically just to make sure you can read and understand British culture. I had a question about April Fool’s Day on mine. 😂 I think I only got one question wrong. (I mean, on the official test, I got my ILR and then citizenship about 8 years ago now).

stuckdownahole · 04/10/2025 21:49

LivingOnCoffee567 · 04/10/2025 21:36

It's a tiny book you have to learn for FFS. I read it a couple of times during my commute and reserved a couple of hours on a Sunday morning for revision before the test on a Monday.

If you can read and write reasonably well in English, it's very very easy.

It's a challenge if you don't but then again, you really shouldn't be a citizen of a country if you're not fluent in the language.

I think you're right. It's basically an English proficiency test in disguise.

And the main thing that the whinging OP has missed is that YOU CAN TAKE THIS TEST UNLIMITED TIMES until you pass.

petitpasta · 04/10/2025 21:49

My son took it a few years ago along with the whole Y12 of a high performing grammar school. Two thirds of them failed it. A friend's south American born wife had to learn the wrong answers because they live in Northern Ireland and if you answer some of the questions in the right way for NI they are marked wrong.

The whole thing is bonkers. I might take it now and see if I pass. My MIL is staying with is and it's definitely preferable to her inane prattling...

TheNightingalesStarling · 04/10/2025 21:48

75%.
Some stuff is rite learning. Some stuff isn't really even British... like who Hitler invaded. Thats World History.
Other stuff is religion.

RavenPie · 04/10/2025 21:46

I’ve gone through a lot of these when colleagues have been swotting. They are very random questions but I don’t disagree with the test in principle. I would probably fail my driving theory if I sat it without a bit of reading up and I’ve been driving decades without issue.