Do I need to do SERU Test?
The simple answer to this question is yes. All drivers who applied for their private hire licence from April 2023 on-wards need to pass the SERU assessment and Speaking & Listening test to fulfil TfL’s English Language Requirement (ELR)
There are existing drivers and drivers who applied and got licensed before April 2023. For these drivers, the rules may be slightly different. Some drivers may have already completed the old English Language Requirement and would have taken an English test with an external company to prove they are up to the B1 standard required by TfL. Amongst these drivers, the ones who submitted their proof of ELR to TfL and got a response from TfL to say they accepted, they will not need to take all the new tests. These drivers will need to take the SERU assessment.
However, many drivers either did not submit the evidence in time, or for whatever reason TfL was not satisfied with the evidence they provided and did not accept it. For these drivers, they have until 2025 to complete both the SERU assessment and English Speaking & Listening test.
TfL may contact drivers at any point with a date to take their SERU assessment, so it is wise to always be prepared. Drivers will receive an invitation from TfL by email and letter on when they need to attend their SERU Assessment and Speaking & Listening Test.
To make it easier to figure out if you need to do your SERU assessment or not, TfL has divided drivers up into groups and provided information and dates on what TfL tests they need to do and when. Here are the groups.
Group 1
Drivers licensed before 1 Oct 2021 who gave no evidence by 30 Sep 2021
Action: Must pass SERU and speaking/listening tests by 30 Sep 2023
Group 2
Drivers licensed before 1 Oct 2021 who gave unacceptable evidence by 30 Sep 2021
Action: Must pass SERU and speaking/listening tests by 30 Sep 2024
Group 3
Drivers licensed before 1 Oct 2021 who gave satisfactory evidence by 30 Sep 2021
Action: Must pass only SERU assessment by 31 March 2025
Group 4
Drivers who applied for a license between 1 Oct 2021 and 1 April 2023
Action: Must pass SERU and speaking/listening tests by 30 Sept 2024
