Home Office English Language Testing is currently in live procurement. It would not be appropriate to publish security risk assessments relating to the procurement, as the Department's assessment of risks and vulnerabilities associated with different testing models could inform the commercial positioning of bidders.

The Department will continue to iterate secure by design artefacts, including risk and threat assessments, which will be further developed as a preferred supplier is identified, all the way through to the service going live.

In addition, the Home Office does not routinely publish security risk assessments of services within immigration application routes, in order to protect its ability to assess and respond to the threat posed by fraudsters.

The Home Office English Language Testing procurement places security and integrity at the heart of the digital-by-default solution. The programme has engaged with the National Cyber Security Centre and the HOELT security schedule is aligned to the National Cyber Security Centre's Cyber Assessment Framework. Bidders are required to demonstrate compliance with data security, cyber security, fraud prevention and accessibility standards before contract award. In addition, the Home Office are committed to working with Ofqual through to mobilisation to protect the integrity of these high-stakes tests, and it is anticipated that the successful bidder will either hold, or apply for, Ofqual recognition.

The Home Office continues to monitor evidence from national and international comparators, and from other government contexts where digital identity and remote service delivery have been considered or in use. Any departmental delivery model must meet appropriate integrity requirements and principles including data security, cyber security, accessibility, fraud risk and prevention to ensure compliance with Home Office Policy and ensure that the service delivers the fundamental principles underpinning our Immigration policies and our visa journey.

The Home Office draws on a range of specialist expertise from across government, including cyber security, digital and commercial specialists, when considering alternative delivery models. This expertise is directly engaged to advise on and assess security risks, including those relating to remote testing models, as part of the Department's approach to designing secure and effective delivery models.

Any Home Office delivery model must meet appropriate integrity requirements and principles, including data security, cyber security, accessibility, and fraud risk and prevention, to ensure compliance with Home Office policy and to ensure that the service delivers the fundamental principles underpinning our immigration policies and visa journey.

The Home Office routinely embeds continuous improvement and collaboration within its procurements, contracts and live services to ensure it can respond effectively to evolving threats and fraudsters. Both Home Office English Language Testing and Life in the UK Testing will continue departmental collaboration to assess and mitigate security risks.

As part of any procurement exercise, the Home Office considers a range of factors as options are developed, including customer experience, accessibility, value for money, service integrity and security considerations for all its services. The Department also draws on a range of specialist expertise from across government, including cyber security, digital and commercial specialists as well as engagement with the market to inform its approach.

We are currently exploring how we can improve and refine Life in the UK Testing which has undergone Market Engagement and assessment already to determine the best options to enhance the service as a whole. The Home Office Language Test (HOELT) is currently in live procurement. The new service will deliver a modernised, consistent experience for customers with improved accessibility. Enhanced security measures will provide stronger protections against fraud, and a regulated fee will ensure better value for money for applicants and the taxpayer.

Any Home Office delivery model must meet appropriate integrity requirements and principles, including data security, cyber security, accessibility, and fraud risk and prevention, to ensure compliance with Home Office policy and to ensure that the service delivers the fundamental principles underpinning our immigration policies and visa journey. This applies to all Home Office delivery models, including the Home Office English Language Test and Life in the UK Test.

The LSAT is an admissions test administered by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), an independent US organisation. Decisions relating to the format and delivery of the LSAT, including any changes to remote testing, are a matter for LSAC and the relevant US authorities, and do not fall within the remit of the UK Government.

The Honourable Member may therefore wish to raise this matter directly with LSAC or the appropriate authorities in the United States.

Remote testing was not explored as part of the current contract and therefore not available to current candidates. The upcoming commercial exercise to reprocure services for the Life in the UK test will explore alternative delivery models. We are currently engaging the market and experts for the most secure, customer focussed and cost-effective service available.

The Home Office English Language Testing programme has engaged with impacted government departments and will continue this engagement throughout the life of the procurement though mobilisation. As with any government procurement, all commercial activity is subject to full governance procedure, including appropriate spending controls.

Prior to the Home Office English Language Testing programme publishing invitation to tender, five rounds of market engagement was conducted under non-disclosure agreements. However, there were opportunities for those who participated to share information that they wished for the Home Office to consider and ask Clarifying Questions. It would not be appropriate to disclose details of individual organisations' participation in a confidential market engagement process

The Home Office English Language Testing programme has engaged with impacted government departments and will continue this engagement throughout the life of the procurement though mobilisation. As with any government procurement, all commercial activity is subject to full governance procedure, including appropriate spending controls.

The Home Office English Language Testing Programme remains in live procurement. We anticipate that the successful bidder will hold, or secure, Ofqual recognition. They must then continue to meet the rigorous bar required to comply with Ofqual's regulatory requirements. We are working with Ofqual through the procurement to protect the integrity of these high stakes tests and our engagement with them reflects this.

In addition, given the Home Office English Language Testing programme is in live procurement, the Home Office is conscious of protecting the integrity of the procurement.

The financial benefits arising from the HOELT are expected to accrue to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) budgets within the Home Office. Under the current concession model, test fees are retained by approved providers. The new model changes that financial relationship. Decisions on the use of any resulting savings will be subject to usual Home Office financial planning processes. Any income the Home Office receives from these fees will play an essential role in supporting the sustainable funding of the migration and borders system.

The Home Office takes the integrity of the Home Office English Language Test seriously and has assessed a range of risks, including those posed by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence tools and wearable devices. The Department recognises that technological developments can present new challenges to test security in remote environments. Any provider appointed through the procurement process will be required to demonstrate that their solution includes best-in-class safeguards capable of addressing these risks. The specification includes requirements for technical and procedural controls to mitigate cheating methods, and this will be a key factor in the evaluation of bids.

As set out in the answer of 16 January 2026, the Home Office English Language Test will be one of the first primarily remote language testing services for government immigration purposes. In developing this approach, the Department considered a range of international systems and models.

This included reviewing the approaches taken by Australia and Canada, both of which recently reviewed their English language testing requirements. The Department also drew on evidence from other government contexts where digital identity and remote service delivery have been implemented, including existing Home Office delivery models incorporating identification technology, audit and assurance processes, and robust oversight frameworks.

As set out in the answer of 16 January 2026, today's Secure English Language Testing concessions collect all applicants' fees with no return to the Department to cover the costs of managing and overseeing delivery. The new Home Office English Language Test service will deliver a net positive benefit to the public purse by changing that financial arrangement.

The Department has not made a separate published assessment of the net financial benefit of a model combining digital and in-person security measures compared to the model being tendered. The procurement specification sets out the security and integrity requirements that any delivery model must meet, and cost is assessed alongside those requirements as part of the evaluation process. The overall value for money assessment will be made in the context of the full evaluation.

A specific estimate of the net positive benefit has not been published, as the procurement process is ongoing and the financial arrangements will be determined at contract award.

The fee structure for the Home Office English Language Test has not yet been set, as the procurement process is ongoing. The Department is committed to ensuring the test is accessible to those required to take it. The final fee to test takers will be determined as part of the contract and will be subject to the approval of Parliament. The Department will provide further information on fees in due course. Any income the Home Office receives from these fees will play an essential role in supporting the sustainable funding of the migration and borders system.

Pursuant to answer of 16 January 2026 to UIN 104261

As set out in the answer of 16 January 2026, today's Secure English Language Testing concessions collect all applicants' fees with no return to the Department to cover the costs of managing and overseeing delivery. The new Home Office English Language Test service will deliver a net positive benefit to the public purse by changing that financial arrangement.

The Department has not made a separate published assessment of the net financial benefit of a model combining digital and in-person security measures compared to the model being tendered. The procurement specification sets out the security and integrity requirements that any delivery model must meet, and cost is assessed alongside those requirements as part of the evaluation process. The overall value for money assessment will be made in the context of the full evaluation.

A specific estimate of the net positive benefit has not been published, as the procurement process is ongoing and the financial arrangements will be determined at contract award.

The Home Office is designing the HOELT procurement to ensure resilience in test delivery. The specification includes requirements for contingency arrangements in the event that technical vulnerabilities are identified or exploited. The Department expects any appointed provider to have robust incident response procedures in place, including the ability to suspend affected testing where necessary, investigate and address vulnerabilities promptly, and maintain the integrity of results already issued. The Department will work with the provider and with Ofqual throughout the contract to monitor security and respond to emerging threats.