Kim Day | Senior Immigration Lawyer

The UK’s 10-year ILR Plan: An Update on Earned Settlement News

06/10/2026

The UK 10-year ILR plan is a plan proposed by the UK Home Office to extend the typical route to UK Settlement from 5 years to 10 years. This is a proposed change to the UK migration system, but the law hasn’t changed yet. The standard ILR qualifying period (as of October 2026) is still 5 years.

We’ve written this latest blog to explain everything we know right now about the 10-year ILR plan. We’ve also listed all the announcements in a timeline, and offered advice for what you can do right now to prepare for any possible changes.

What is the UK 10-year ILR plan?

Whether you already hold a visa in the UK or you’re planning to apply soon, you need to be aware of the plan to move the UK immigration system to an “Earned Settlement” model. On 12th May 2025, the UK government published a White Paper titled “Restoring control over the immigration system”. You might remember we explained this White Paper in our previous blog.

They followed this announcement with another statement in November, titled “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement”. This November announcement introduced the idea of an “Earned Settlement” model, and we also covered its contents in this previous blog.

What is Earned Settlement?

Earned Settlement is a plan to add new requirements for all applicants if they want to apply to settle permanently in the UK. The new model includes new criteria, where the baseline qualifying period for Settlement is increased to 10 years, and where applicants will be able to shorten this qualifying period by “earning” their right to settle by meeting certain additional criteria.

As well as allowing people to shorten their qualifying period, the government has also proposed lengthening periods for anyone who breaks UK immigration law.

The Current Timeline for the UK 10-year ILR Plan

Here is the current timeline of announcements about the UK’s 10-year ILR plan and an Earned Settlement model:

12th May 2025 – The UK government publishes the “Restoring control over the immigration system” whitepaper, which includes their early-stage plan to change the UK Settlement process.
8th September 2025 – Parliament held a debate about the proposed change to UK Settlement. We covered this in more detail in our previous blog.
28th November 2025 – The UK government publishes the “A Fairway Pathway to Settlement” statement, which introduced the proposed plan for Earned Settlement.
28th November 2025 – Alongside the statement, the government opened a consultation, where people could respond with their thoughts on the Earned Settlement plan.
12th February 2026 – The consultation closed, and the government began reviewing responses. “At some point during 2026” – Further information regarding a 10-year qualifying period, including a possible Statement of Changes and phased implementation, is expected before the end of the year, though no firm dates have been announced.
26th March 2027 – A new B2 (or higher) English Language requirement will be introduced on this date for several Settlement routes. This is the first (and to date only) direct change to UK immigration law concerning Settlement since the White Paper.

As you can see by this timeline, this means we still have no exact dates for when definitive information will be released regarding any possible Settlement rule changes.

Will the UK 10-year ILR plan apply to visa holders already in the UK?

One of the most stressful and contentious parts of this proposed change to Earned Settlement is whether or not the changes will impact people who are already living in the UK, and who are therefore already on their route to Settlement through the existing system.

The only thing we can say definitively right now is that this has not been decided.

Changes may impact you if you are already in the UK. There may be transitional agreements that protect you, but to date no decisions have been made. This is why it’s so important to remain up-to-date on any changes and announcements.

Will the 10-year ILR Plan Impact Dependants?

It’s also important to note that the proposed changes may also impact dependants. The plans outlined by the government so far would mean that dependants must all qualify for Earned Settlement on their own, and won’t be linked to the main applicant’s route. However, no legal decision has been made on dependant Settlement rule changes yet either.

Advice on what to do right now to prepare for the UK’s 10-year ILR plan and Earned Settlement

It’s frustrating that there remains so much uncertainty surrounding the 10-year ILR change, particularly given it’s not clear who will be impacted. Here is the current advice we can offer you to stay prepared.

If you’re close to (or are already) eligible for Settlement under the current rules, we would urge you to get clear advice on your eligibility (you can contact us directly to do this) and, if possible, apply for Settlement now. Applying and obtaining Settlement now means the changes won’t impact you if they’re enacted, as you’d already have settled status.

You should also strengthen your English language level if you’re planning to apply for Settlement after March 2027, as from then onwards you will need to meet a B2 level or higher.

The proposed Earned Settlement model also relies heavily on a history of compliance. We would advise you to keep absence records to log when you have been outside of the UK, and make sure to stay within the current legal requirement for absences. You can use our free absence calculators to help you do this.

Finally, set up your UK eVisa if you haven’t done so already. You can find more information about eVisas on our previous blog.

As always, we also recommend you contact our team directly if you have any questions or concerns. We will continue to monitor government announcements and provide clear updates on any upcoming changes on our blog or through our newsletter.

UK 10-year ILR FAQs

Have the UK Settlement rules changed in UK law to 10 years?

No, there has been no change in the overall Settlement qualifying period in UK immigration law at the time of writing (August 2026). Any legal changes to the standard Settlement qualifying period have yet to be announced and implemented.

Should I apply for ILR right now if I’m qualified?

Yes, we would advise you to apply for Settlement now if you’re eligible and able to do so. If you need help determining your eligibility or preparing your application, please contact us directly.

When will the UK 10-year Settlement change happen?

The truest answer is that nobody knows yet. It’s believed that more information regarding the 10-year ILR plan and its implementation will be provided before the end of 2026, but we have no exact dates right now.

Will my route to Settlement change even if I’m already living in the UK?

Possibly. The decision on whether these changes impact people already in the UK or not has yet to be made. This has been a key discussion point for the government and within its consultation. If you’re already in the UK and en route to Settlement, we’d urge you to continue to monitor government announcements for further information.

Why is it called Earned Settlement?

The proposed 10-year ILR change is called Earned Settlement because, under the proposed rules, applicants will be able to earn faster routes to ILR through meeting certain criteria. This differs from the current model, where Settlement qualifying periods are the same for everyone and only change depending on the route you’re on.