UK Civil Service Online Tests: The Eight Tests, Pass Marks and 68 Practice Questions
Applying for a Civil Service job often means an online test. This hub lays out the eight tests gov.uk describes, how timing, percentile scoring, pass marks and banked scores work, what the Casework Skills and Work Strengths tests contain, and gives you 68 original practice questions in the style of the Numerical and Judgement tests.
gov.uk lists eight commonly used Civil Service online tests; your job advert says which ones you must take. None needs specialist knowledge, every score is shown as a percentile against a representative group of applicants, and no test has a published fixed pass mark: the recruiter sets the job's pass mark after the closing date and may raise it. Only the Casework and Customer Service tests have a timer (a ten-minute part). Five tests can bank a pass for six months.
UK Civil Service online tests facts at a glance
| Commonly used tests | 8: Verbal, Numerical, Judgement, Management Judgement, Work Strengths, Styles Assessment, Customer Service Skills, Casework Skills |
|---|---|
| Scoring | Percentile: compared with a representative group of applicants; a percentile of 44 beats 44% of that group |
| Pass mark | Not published: each job has a minimum standard; the recruiter sets the pass mark after the closing date and may raise it |
| Timing | Mostly untimed: only Casework and Customer Service have a 10-minute timed part; allow at least an hour |
| Banked scores | 6 months: Verbal, Numerical, Work Strengths, Customer Service and Styles Assessment; not transferable between tests |
| Practice questions here | 68: 32 numerical and 36 judgement, original, not real test items |
Checked against the official Cabinet Office (gov.uk) page and the sources listed at the end of this page on 2026-10-27.
Civil Service practice questions: numerical and judgement
The first 32 questions are numerical, with all figures given in the question, so have a calculator and rough paper ready as gov.uk suggests. The next 36 are judgement: each gives one workplace situation and one action, and you rate it as counterproductive, ineffective, fairly effective or effective. Pick an answer and press Check Answer to see the reason; missed questions go to a retry queue. Everything is original practice data, and the judgement answer key is ours, not official.
There is no published pass mark. As a planning goal, 55 or more of 68 (about 81%) is our own estimate.
The eight tests at a glance
Levels are given only where the gov.uk guidance states them. None of the guidance pages publishes a fixed pass mark.
| Test | Measures | Format and time | Levels stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal | Ability | Passage then true, false or cannot say; adaptive, untimed, typically 15 to 45 minutes | Banked in grade groups |
| Numerical | Ability | Graphs, tables or figures then a multiple-choice question; adaptive, untimed, typically 15 to 45 minutes | Banked in grade groups |
| Judgement | Behaviours | 15% self-assessment, then scenarios where you rate four actions; untimed, 2 to 4 minutes a scenario | Scenarios match the level applied for |
| Management Judgement | Behaviours (collaborative, decisive, empathetic, confident, agile) | 15 scenarios, choose most and least likely action | Executive Officer to Senior Executive Officer |
| Work Strengths | Strengths | Agreement statements, 10 scenarios rating 4 actions, 5 scenarios most and least likely | Two versions: Administrative to Executive Officer; Higher Executive Officer to SCS1 |
| Styles Assessment | Behaviours (self-assessment) | 276 pairs of statements; about 45 minutes to an hour | Not stated |
| Customer Service Skills | Job preview | Three parts, the last a 10-minute timed accuracy and speed check; about an hour | Administrative Assistant, Administrative Officer, Executive Officer |
| Casework Skills | Job preview | Three parts, the last a 10-minute timed accuracy and speed check; about an hour | Administrative Officer and Executive Officer |
Our practice sets
Both sets are original. The topic splits and target scores are ours, not the Civil Service's, because gov.uk publishes no question count or topic list.
| Set | Questions | Sections (our split) | Target (our estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numerical | 32 | Percentages and percentage change; ratios, averages and fractions; tables and everyday data; charts and multi-step problems | 26 of 32 (about 81%) |
| Judgement | 36 | Making effective decisions; working together; communicating and influencing; delivering at pace | 29 of 36 (80%) |
Numerical and Verbal tests
Both are computer adaptive: a right answer can make the next question harder and a wrong one easier, so the length varies. You must answer every question, with no skipping and no going back, and some questions are unscored trial items. They are untimed, most people take 15 to 45 minutes, and gov.uk suggests allowing at least an hour. It recommends rough paper, a pen and a calculator for the Numerical test.
The Cabinet Office's published record says a test ends once it is confident enough about your level. gov.uk does not publish a question count, a topic list or a fixed pass mark, so be wary of any site that claims to know them.
Judgement Test
The Civil Service Judgement Test is an online situational judgement test measuring judgement and decision-making on Civil Service Behaviours chosen for the job. Part one is a self-assessment of your typical behaviour at work, worth 15 percent of the score, so answer honestly because an interviewer may ask about it. Part two gives workplace scenarios, three for each behaviour, and you rate each of four actions as counterproductive, ineffective, fairly effective or effective. Judge each action on its own; you can give two actions the same rating.
It is untimed, most people take two to four minutes a scenario, and some scenarios are videos. Unlike most of the other tests, you can launch it three times in total and re-open it only twice after starting, so do not close the browser.
Casework Skills Test
The Casework Skills Test is used for casework jobs at Administrative Officer and Executive Officer level, and gov.uk calls it a realistic preview of the work. Part one gives a scenario with background documents such as customer emails and letters, then asks whether statements are definitely or probably true or false, or whether you cannot say. Part two shows six casework scenarios where you rate four actions each on the same four-point scale. Part three is a ten-minute timed check of accuracy and speed on details such as addresses, account numbers and dates. Allow about an hour in total.
Work Strengths Test
The Work Strengths Test asks about what you do regularly, do well and are motivated by. It has three parts: agreement with statements, ten scenarios where you rate four actions each, and five scenarios where you pick the action you would be most and least likely to take. There are two versions, one for Administrative to Executive Officer level and one for Higher Executive Officer up to Senior Civil Service level one, and a pass can be banked.
How pass marks and banked scores work
Your answers become a score that is compared with a representative group of other applicants and shown as a percentile. Each job is advertised at a level with a minimum required standard; if you reach it you are told. After the closing date the recruiter looks at all the scores and sets the job's pass mark, considering the effect on protected groups and how many people to invite on, and may raise it. Meeting the minimum is no guarantee of going further, and you are never told which questions you got wrong.
If you pass a Verbal, Numerical, Work Strengths, Customer Service or Styles test at or above the minimum standard, the score is banked and re-used for future jobs for six months, within a grade group and not across different tests. If you do not pass, you can retake it in future applications. Your answers must be your own, and an interviewer may ask you to retake the test under supervision.
Preparing and getting support
Every one of the eight tests has an official, unscored practice test and a short information video on gov.uk, which are the best way to see the real look and feel and are especially useful with assistive technology. Take the test as early as you can after being invited, use a quiet place, a stable connection and a larger screen, and send queries at least two working days before the deadline. If you have a disability and need an adjustment, tell the recruiter when you apply. The Verbal and Numerical tests can also be taken in English or Welsh.
Our own suggestion, not gov.uk's: for judgement questions, prefer actions that solve the problem, use real evidence and keep people on side, and for numerical questions write each calculation step down before choosing an option.
Sample UK Civil Service online tests questions with answers
One question from each content area of the practice set above, with the answer and explanation. Try it before you open the answer.
Percentages and percentage change
Rent was £800 a month and rose by 5%. What is the new monthly rent?
- £805
- £850
- £860
- £840
Show answer
D. £840
To raise eight hundred by five percent, multiply by one point zero five. That gives eight hundred forty. Adding five instead of five percent gives eight hundred five a classic slip.
Ratios, averages and fractions
Grants are approved and rejected in the ratio 3:5. Of 160 grants, how many are approved?
- 32
- 60
- 64
- 100
Show answer
B. 60
The ratio has three plus five which is eight parts. One part is one hundred sixty divided by eight which is twenty so three parts is sixty. A hundred is the rejected number.
Tables and everyday data
Cases received: Mon 120, Tue 150, Wed 90, Thu 180. How many more cases came in on Thursday than the Monday-to-Wednesday daily average?
- 30
- 45
- 60
- 90
Show answer
C. 60
Monday to Wednesday total three hundred sixty so the daily average is one hundred twenty. Thursday's one hundred eighty is sixty more. Taking the difference from Wednesday alone gives ninety.
Charts and multi-step problems
Visitors (thousands) per quarter: Q1 30, Q2 45, Q3 60, Q4 45. What percentage of the year's visitors came in Q3?
- 25%
- 33.3%
- 30%
- 40%
Show answer
B. 33.3%
The year total is one hundred eighty thousand. Quarter three had sixty thousand. Sixty over one hundred eighty is one third, thirty-three point three percent.
Making effective decisions
A neighbouring office cut its case backlog by a third with a new triage method, though its workload is smaller than yours. Action: Recommend trialling the same method, noting the office differences and tracking results. Rate this action.
- Counterproductive
- Ineffective
- Fairly effective
- Effective
Show answer
D. Effective
Effective. You use real evidence, you're honest about its limits, and a trial lets you check it works for your own office. That's the kind of balanced option the behaviour describes.
Working together
A colleague presents your analysis in a meeting as their own. Action: Tell other colleagues about it in the corridor, but say nothing to them. Rate this action.
- Counterproductive
- Ineffective
- Fairly effective
- Effective
Show answer
A. Counterproductive
Counterproductive. Talking behind their back damages trust and doesn't fix anything. A private, calm conversation with them first is the sensible start.
UK Civil Service online tests FAQ
What Civil Service online tests are there?
gov.uk lists eight commonly used tests: Verbal, Numerical, Judgement, Management Judgement, Work Strengths, Styles Assessment, Customer Service Skills and Casework Skills. Your job advert says which you must take.
What is the pass mark for the Civil Service tests?
There is no published fixed pass mark. Scores are shown as percentiles, each job has a minimum standard, and the recruiter sets the job's pass mark after the closing date and may raise it.
Are the Civil Service tests timed?
Mostly no. Only the Casework Skills and Customer Service Skills tests have a timed part (ten minutes). gov.uk suggests allowing at least an hour for most tests and about an hour for those two.
Can I reuse a Civil Service test score?
Five tests (Verbal, Numerical, Work Strengths, Customer Service and Styles Assessment) can bank a passing score for six months, within a grade group. A banked score does not transfer between different tests.
How many times can I launch the Civil Service Judgement Test?
Three times in total, and you can re-open it only twice after starting, so do not close the browser. Most other tests can be relaunched as many times as you need if you lose access.
Can I use a calculator in the Numerical Test?
gov.uk suggests having rough paper, a pen and a calculator to hand for the Numerical Test.
Related practice and guides
Sources
Exam facts on this page were checked against these official pages on 2026-10-27.
- gov.uk: Civil Service online tests
- gov.uk: Preparing for the Civil Service Judgement Test
- gov.uk: Preparing for the Civil Service Verbal and Numerical Tests
- gov.uk: Preparing for the Casework Skills Test
- gov.uk: Preparing for the Civil Service Work Strengths Test
- gov.uk: Preparing for the Civil Service Management Judgement Test
- gov.uk: Preparing for the Civil Service Styles Assessment
- gov.uk: Preparing for the Customer Service Skills Test
- Cabinet Office: Civil Service Verbal and Numerical Tests (algorithmic transparency record)
OpenExamHub is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with the Civil Service or the Cabinet Office. Practice questions and their answer keys are original and not real test items. The tests and their rules can change and vary by department, so follow your job advert and the current gov.uk guidance.