English language test enquiry

[gladiator56]

Hi. My partner has to renew her visa in December 2017 (FLR). She sat an IELTS test in the Philppines in order to come to the UK, her overall band score was 6.0, I checked this against the CEFR framework and found it to be roughly equivalent to B2.

I have two questions if anyone knows the answers:

Can she use the IELTS certificate she brought from the Philippines or has this somehow expired? (meaning she will have to sit another IELTS test or the equivalent), and

When does the test have to be taken? The government information says it has to be taken after two and a half years of being in the UK but that would bring us perilously close to the time of visa renewal. Could she take it now which would be some months short of two and a half years?

Many thanks in anticipation of your responses.

G56