I came across the Life in the UK test lately and let’s be honest, it’s a bit of a joke, really. It’s full of random trivia and odd little facts that most people just cram the night before, tick the right boxes, and then promptly forget. Hardly anyone comes away feeling more connected to Britain’s history or culture, if anything, they just end up wondering why on earth they needed to know when the Habeas Corpus Act was passed. Truth be told, most Brits born and bred here wouldn’t get through it without a bit of last-minute revision either.
For something that decides whether someone can actually stay in the country, it feels a bit daft. Surely it’d make more sense to have a test that actually helps people settle in and test their assimilation skills, stuff that’s useful for day-to-day life, or that genuinely makes newcomers feel part of the place. You know, things that help you fit in and test whether the individual is fit for the British culture or not, rather than trivia you’d only ever bring up in a pub quiz.