Find out when you can settle in the UK.
The rules for indefinite leave to remain are changing. Answer a few simple questions and ILR Checker shows which Earned Settlement pathway you are likely to be on, your earliest estimated date, and what you need to get there.
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Check your settlement pathway
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Four pathways to settlement
Settlement used to depend mainly on time in the UK, usually 5 years. Under Earned Settlement the starting point is 10 years, and your contribution, integration and record decide whether you go faster or slower.
Exceptional contribution
For the highest earners and top talent.
- £125,141+ in 3 of the last 4 years, on high-talent routes
- Or the Highest Talent Group
Strong contribution
Higher earners, public service and British connections.
- £50,271+ in 3 of the last 5 years, on high-talent routes
- Doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers
- Partners of British citizens, UK Ancestry
The new default
Anyone following the rules and contributing.
- £12,571+ in 5 of the last 7 years
- Or £25,142 combined as a couple
Longer pathway
When the record or support history is weaker.
- Public funds in the last 5 years
- Immigration breach as an adult
What everyone will need
These minimum requirements apply on every pathway. A higher salary or other contributions cannot make up for a missing one.
No criminal record
Any adult with a criminal record in the UK will be refused. Overseas convictions can also lead to refusal.
No Government debt
NHS charges, unpaid tax or National Insurance, and Home Office legal costs must be cleared first.
B2 English
Rises from B1 to B2, about A level. Children, people aged 65+ and some people with health conditions are exempt.
Life in the UK test
Stays mandatory, with the same exemptions. The test is being reviewed to reflect modern Britain.
Sustained contribution
At least £12,571 a year in your best years, or £25,142 combined with a partner.
A qualifying route
Only time on settlement routes counts. Student, Graduate and other temporary routes do not.
Old rules and new rules, side by side
The biggest changes from the current system, based on the Government’s November 2026 response.
| Topic | Current rules | Earned Settlement |
|---|---|---|
| Standard wait | Usually 5 years on most work routes | 10 years by default, from 3 to 20 depending on contribution and record |
| Long Residence | 10 years of lawful stay on almost any route | Route closes. Temporary routes no longer count |
| English | B1 (about GCSE) | B2 (about A level) |
| Criminal record | Automatic refusal mainly for sentences of 12 months or more | Any adult criminal record in the UK means refusal |
| Government debt | Refusal at the Home Office’s discretion | All NHS, tax and Home Office debt must be cleared |
| Public funds | No common rule across routes | Claiming in the last 5 years means a 20-year pathway |
| Lower-skilled workers | 5 years on Skilled Worker | 10 years (the 15 years first proposed was dropped) |
| Existing care workers | 5 years | Still 5 years if they joined before 12 May 2025 and meet the £25,000 salary rules |
Which routes count?
Whether your time counts depends on the route on your visa. Here is how the main routes are treated.
Count towards settlement
Time on these routes builds towards a pathway.
Do not count
Temporary routes stay temporary.
Keep their own arrangements
Outside the new framework. Most will still need to meet the stronger criminality and English rules, unless an exemption applies.
Popular guides
Plain-English explanations of the new settlement rules, route by route.
Frequently asked questions
Are the new rules in force yet?
No. The Government published its response to the consultation in November 2026. Detailed guidance will follow before the rules begin, and no start date has been announced. Applications are normally decided under the rules in force on the date of the decision.
Do Student and Graduate visas count towards settlement?
No. Time on temporary routes, including Student, Graduate, Youth Mobility, Global Business Mobility and the Ukraine schemes, will not count. Your clock starts when you move onto a qualifying route such as Skilled Worker.
I had maternity leave or a year of lower pay. Does that hurt me?
Not necessarily. The “best years” approach looks at a longer period, so one or two years below the threshold are allowed. On the 10-year pathway, for example, you need £12,571 or more in 5 of the last 7 years.
Can my partner and children settle with me?
A partner who arrives with you can settle at the same time if they meet the requirements. A partner who joins later completes the same qualifying period from their arrival. Children under 18 settle with their parents and are exempt from the earnings, English and Life in the UK requirements. Young people who are 25 or over when their family becomes eligible need to qualify in their own right.
Does claiming benefits affect settlement?
Yes. If you have claimed specified public funds in the 5 years before applying, you move to the 20-year pathway, unless you complete a continuous 5 years on a qualifying route without them. Safeguards for vulnerable groups will be set out before the rules start.
Is ILR Checker legal advice?
No. ILR Checker gives general information based on the Government’s published proposals. For advice on your own case, speak to a regulated immigration adviser or solicitor, or check GOV.UK.
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