Is the ‘Life in the UK Test’ Necessary

Some Britons feel that for too long the UK has employed an ‘open door’ policy of immigration, welcoming migrants to the country, some of whom were unskilled and had no intention to work, learn the language or integrate among society, and allowing them citizenship after a few years of residency. During periods of economic boom when the country suffered labour shortages, the bringing in of foreign workers has proven extremely worthwhile in the UK as in other countries across Europe, and there is no doubting the vital contribution that immigrants have made to British society. Today however across a broad portion of society, from the average man on the street to the Prime Minister, there is the sentiment that immigration has become a nuisance, a problem to be dealt with, and the government is acting accordingly.

One important factor to consider in the immigration debate is population growth. Having witnessed it most active period of growth since the 1960′s, the population of the UK is now at 61 million, an increase of around 3 million since Labour took power in 1997, and it is predicted to reach 70 million by 2029. Around 70% of this increase was caused by immigration, both direct immigration and the children of immigrants. Increased immigration combined with a higher life expectancy has put a huge strain on public services and, as things stand, will cripple the ‘welfare state’ that the UK has established. Not only would the provision of schools, prisons, hospitals and housing suffer, but so would natural resources such as food and water. A rise in pollution and waste  products too, already a contentious topic, would affect not only living standards but environmental standards too.

The ‘Life in the UK Test’ was introduced in 2005 with the principal aim that every person coming to settle in the UK or apply for citizenship should be able to understand the language and key facts about British culture and society. Clearly, with the introduction of a difficult test, which statistics show that one in three fail, the government took a big step towards reducing the country’s immigration problem. But the Life in the UK Test can also be seen as an important achievement for the individual. A new country can be an incredibly daunting place, and the potential difficulties and problems one faces coming to a new country would be greatly exacerbated by not having even a basic grasp of the language. The material that the test is drawn from, ‘Life in the UK: Journey to Citizenship’ is also useful because it provides key practical information aimed at helping the newcomer adjust to a new life in the UK. It provides advice and information about, for example, renting a property, finding and registering with a doctor, applying for a driver’s license as well as offering a comprehensive section with useful information relating to employment. Unfortunately, exploitation and discrimination does still take place across the UK and it is vital that those most susceptible, the newcomers with little prior knowledge about their rights and opportunities or poor language skills, are made aware. As well as informing applicants of British customs and traditions, the Life in the UK test does exactly that.

Tighter immigration regulations will help solve the problem of a potentially unsustainable population in the UK. The mandatory ‘Life in the UK Test’ serves both to educate newcomers as well as ensuring new citizens understand basic information relating to British society and have the language skills to communicate and interact. One question arises from this though; why does the UK allow applicants to take the test as many times as they need to?