Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR): 2026 Rules and Costs

You've spent years building a life in the UK on a visa that has an expiry date. Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) is the step that removes it, letting you stay without time limits. But settlement rules are in flux in 2026, so you need to know what applies today and what's only been proposed.

This guide covers the rules as of September 2026, based on GOV.UK. Check the official pages before you apply, because fees and requirements change.

What is indefinite leave to remain?

ILR is permanent permission to live in the UK. It lets you live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you're eligible.

It's also the usual stepping stone to British citizenship. Once granted, you'll hold it as an eVisa, a digital record of your status in your UKVI account. You can generate a free share code to prove your rights to an employer or landlord.

Main routes to ILR in the UK

Which route you use depends on the visa you hold now. As of September 2026, GOV.UK lists these main routes:

Skilled Worker ILR

You need to have lived and worked in the UK for 5 years and meet the salary requirement for settlement. The earliest you can apply is 28 days before you reach 5 years. Time spent in the UK as a dependant doesn't count towards those 5 years.

Family and partner ILR

On the 5-year partner route, you must meet the financial requirement, prove your relationship is genuine and meet the English and Life in the UK requirements. The 10-year partner route has no financial requirement.

Long residence

If you've been in the UK lawfully for 10 continuous years, even across different visas, you may qualify. Older absence limits (548 days in total, or 184 days in one trip) only apply to absences before 11 April 2024. After that, the 180-day rule below applies.

EU Settlement Scheme

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their families use the EU Settlement Scheme instead. Settled status works like ILR, and GOV.UK says the scheme is outside the scope of the earned settlement reforms.

ILR requirements: absences, English and the Life in the UK test

The 180-day absence rule and continuous residence

For most routes, you must not have been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period during your qualifying period. This is a rolling test, not one per calendar year.

Some absences don't count, such as those caused by a humanitarian crisis, a natural disaster or compelling family circumstances. You'll need evidence, and the Home Office decides.

English and the Life in the UK test

Most applicants aged 18 to 64 must pass the Life in the UK test, which costs £50 as of September 2026.

For English, most routes currently ask for B1 in speaking and listening. Skilled Workers usually don't need to prove English again, because they did so for their visa.

That's changing. Rules laid on 5 March 2026 raise the settlement standard to B2 for applications made on or after 26 March 2027. It covers routes including Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Long Residence and family settlement. If you'll apply after that date, book an approved B2 test well in advance.

How much does ILR cost, and how do you apply?

A couple with one child applying together would pay £9,678 in application fees alone. Build that into your budget early, alongside any adviser costs.

How to apply for ILR, step by step

1. Confirm your route and your earliest date, which is usually 28 days before you reach the qualifying period.
2. Check your absences against the 180-day rule.
3. Pass the Life in the UK test and sort your English evidence.
4. Gather documents, such as payslips, a letter from your employer or relationship evidence.
5. Apply online and pay £3,226 per person, plus any priority fee.
6. Enrol your biometrics or use the ID check app as instructed.
7. Don't travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision, or your application will be withdrawn.
8. Wait for a decision, usually within 6 months on the standard service.

A worked example

Say you're a data analyst from Chennai who started a Skilled Worker visa in October 2021. Your 5 years end in October 2026, so you could apply up to 28 days before.

You'd check that no 12-month window since 2021 included more than 180 days abroad, pass the Life in the UK test and meet the settlement salary rules. Because you'd apply before 26 March 2027, the B2 English change wouldn't apply to you, provided the rules stay as they are.

Where "earned settlement" stands in 2026

The government consulted on earned settlement from 20 November 2025 to 12 February 2026. It proposed:

• raising the baseline qualifying period from 5 years to 10 years
• reductions for some groups, such as partners of British citizens, high earners, public service workers and people with C1 English
• longer periods for people who've claimed public funds or broken immigration rules

As of September 2026, the consultation page says responses are still being analysed and no outcome has been published. The July 2026 rules changes (HC 259) didn't implement it.

If you're close to your 5-year date, don't delay an application you're ready to make. If you're on a work visa, our Skilled Worker visa guide covers your route in detail.

Can you lose ILR?

Yes. ILR normally lapses if you spend more than 2 continuous years outside the UK. Settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme lasts through up to 5 continuous years away, or 4 for Swiss citizens and their family members.

If your ILR lapses, you may be able to apply for a Returning Resident visa, which costs £726 as of September 2026. You'll need to show strong ties to the UK.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying more than 28 days early, which leads to refusal and a lost fee.
• Miscounting absences by using calendar years instead of rolling 12-month periods.
• Counting time as a dependant towards Skilled Worker ILR.
• Travelling abroad while your application is pending.
• Relying on B1 English if you'll apply on or after 26 March 2027.
• Planning around earned settlement proposals as if they were already law.

Your next steps

Work out your earliest application date, build your travel log and book the Life in the UK test. If you'll apply after March 2027, start preparing for a B2 test now.

If your case involves long absences, gaps in lawful status or a past refusal, consider advice from an IAA-regulated adviser or an immigration solicitor. Once you've got ILR, our guide to British citizenship and naturalisation explains the next step.