ILR Requirements 2026: The Full UK Settlement Eligibility Checklist

Researched and maintained by the ILR Calculator UK editorial team · Reviewed against the Immigration Rules in force on 24 June 2026 · General information about UK settlement, not regulated immigration advice. For advice on your own case, use an adviser regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (IAA) or a solicitor.

To qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain you must complete the qualifying period for your route — usually 5 years — with continuous residence, stay within the 180-day absence rule, meet any financial or salary requirement, pass the Life in the UK test, show English at CEFR B1, and satisfy the good character rules. You then apply online with the correct SET form and a £3,226 fee, up to 28 days before your qualifying period completes. This page sets out each requirement and links to the tool or guide for it.

The ILR requirements at a glance

Every settlement application is tested against the same core requirements, with the detail varying by route. Use this table as your checklist, then follow the link for each one.

Source: GOV.UK — Settle in the UK and the route-specific Immigration Rules. The detail of each requirement depends on your visa route.

The qualifying period by route

The length of continuous residence you need depends on your route. Most lead to settlement after 5 years; a few are faster or slower.

Source: UK Immigration Rules by route and Appendix Continuous Residence. Confirm your own date with the eligibility calculator.

Continuous residence and the 180-day rule

Your residence must be continuous — no period in the UK without valid leave — and your absences must stay within 180 days in any rolling 12-month period on most routes. The Home Office checks every possible 12-month window, so a single long trip can breach the limit even if your yearly average looks fine. Gaps in leave are governed by the paragraph 39E rules rather than the old 28-day allowance, which was abolished. Test both with the absence calculator and the continuous residence calculator.

Financial and salary requirements

What you must show financially depends on your route. Partners must usually meet the £29,000 minimum income requirement; Skilled Workers must be paid at least £41,700 or the going rate at the ILR stage; some routes have no income test at all. The detail — categories, savings and evidence — is in our financial requirement guide, with route specifics on the spouse and Skilled Worker pages.

Life in the UK test and English language

Two knowledge requirements apply to almost everyone settling.

Life in the UK test

A computer-based test of 24 questions with a 75% pass mark, costing £50, taken at an approved centre. The certificate never expires and is reused when you naturalise. You are exempt if you are under 18 or 65 or over, or have a long-term physical or mental condition that prevents you taking it.

English language requirement

For settlement you must show English at CEFR B1 in speaking and listening. You can meet it with an approved Secure English Language Test, a degree taught or researched in English (verified by UK ENIC), or by being a national of a majority English-speaking country. The settlement standard stayed at B1 even though first-time Skilled Worker applicants moved to B2 in January 2026.

Good character, suitability and documents

You must meet the good character and suitability rules in Part 9 of the Immigration Rules. The Home Office reviews criminal convictions, cautions, immigration breaches and financial conduct such as unpaid tax or NHS debt — recent or serious matters can lead to refusal. You will also need a complete document set: passports, your BRP or eVisa, evidence of income or salary, a full travel history for the absence assessment, your Life in the UK pass, and any route-specific evidence such as an employer letter or relationship evidence. A missing or inconsistent document is one of the most common avoidable reasons for refusal.

Fees and how to apply

ILR is applied for online using the SET form for your route — SET(O) for work and most other routes, SET(M) for partners. Since October 2024 applications are online only.

Source: GOV.UK — visa fees, June 2026. You can submit up to 28 days before your qualifying period completes — find that date with the 28-day calculator.

How to qualify for ILR, step by step

1. Confirm your route and qualifying period — 5, 3 or 10 years, including any qualifying predecessor time.
2. Check continuous residence and absences — leave unbroken and within 180 days in any rolling 12 months.
3. Meet the financial or salary requirement for your route, measured at the date you apply.
4. Pass the Life in the UK test, unless exempt by age or condition.
5. Meet the English language requirement at CEFR B1, by test, degree or nationality.
6. Gather your documents — passports, BRP/eVisa, income evidence, travel history and route-specific proof.
7. Apply online within the 28-day window using the correct SET form, and enrol your biometrics.

Reform watch: earned settlement

The government’s 2025 White Paper proposed an “earned settlement” model that could extend the standard qualifying period from 5 to 10 years for many routes, alongside higher English standards and a points system. The consultation closed on 12 February 2026 and no implementation date has been set. None of it is in force, and the current requirements above still apply. Follow our earned settlement tracker for changes.