I passed PPL skills test (A) October 2012, this was subsequently the date of my last flight
Hi TODA.1
Having looked up some of your previous Posts I believe I know why you haven't flown since passing your Skills Test. If I am correct then Good Luck with your A-Levels, and don't think about flying until after your last exam.
To answer your question:
As you passed your Skills Test in October 2012 you would have been issued with an EASA Licence. This is valid for life and the only thing needed to keep it usable is a current and valid Medical.
However a Licence only entitles you to be a Pilot (in general). It does not 'qualify' you to fly a particular aeroplane. For this you need a valid Rating.
I assume you obtained an SEP Rating. Which would, therefore expire two years after your Skills Test (which was actually a test for both the Licence and the Rating) in October 2014.
You therefore should currently be legal to fly, but will definitely need some 'brush up' with an Instructor (even if you are brilliant no one will hire you an aircraft without checking you out).
To Revalidate your Rating (keep it going for another two years without break) requires you to have 12 hours of flying in the last year (the year prior to 31 Oct 2014) which may now be difficult for you, or to pass a Proficiency Check with an Examiner.
Whichever route used an Examiner
must sign your Rating before it expires, otherwise you will need to Renew it.
To Renew an SEP Rating you need to visit an ATO or RF (a Flying School) who will then assess your training requirements (could be none), conduct the training to bring you up to standard and then issue you with a 'Training Completed' certificate.
You then take the Proficiency Check with an Examiner (no Course Completion Certificate = No Test) who, if you pass, will then sign your SEP Rating as being valid for another two years (from the last day of the month in which you took the test) on your Licence.