UK Settlement Statistics 2026 | 10-Year ILR Rule, Migrant Numbers & New Immigration Policy

UK Settlement Statistics 2026 show a record rush to permanence before a rule change: the Home Office granted 537,698 grants of indefinite leave in the year ending June 2026 (up 8%), including 199,628 settlement grants (up 24%, the most since 2011), while the proposed 10-year baseline for indefinite leave to remain is still awaiting the Home Secretary’s final decision, due in the Commons on November 2, 2026. Net migration fell to 171,000 in 2025, and the Government forecasts about 1.6 million people becoming eligible to settle between 2026 and 2030.

UK Settlement 2026 – Introduction

UK Settlement Statistics 2026 sit at the centre of the biggest overhaul of permanent residence in a generation. Settlement, formally indefinite leave to remain (ILR), lets a migrant live, work and claim benefits in the UK without time limits. Most work and family routes currently qualify after five years. The Government’s “earned settlement” plan would make 10 years the baseline for most people, with shorter or longer periods depending on contribution, earnings and conduct.

This report is current as of Monday, November 2, 2026, the day Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was due to announce her final decision in the House of Commons. The decision had not been published when this report was compiled, so the policy tables show the November 2025 proposals and the reported expected changes. The statistics come from the Home Office (year ending June 2026), the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the Government’s own consultation paper.

Interesting Facts About UK Settlement 2026

GRANTS OF INDEFINITE LEAVE, YEAR ENDING JUNE 2026 (THOUSANDS)
Total indefinite leave           ████████████████████████████████████████  537.7
EU Settlement Scheme (settled)   ████████████████████████████████░░░░░░░░  336.2
Settlement (non-EUSS)            ███████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  199.6
Work-route settlement            ████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░   80.4
BN(O) settlement                 ████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░   38.4

Data source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2026 (published August 27, 2026); ONS, Long-term international migration, provisional: year ending December 2025 (May 21, 2026); Home Office, A Fairer Pathway to Settlement (November 2025); Statement of Changes HC 1691 (March 5, 2026).

Settlement grants outside the EU Settlement Scheme reached 199,628 in the year ending June 2026, the highest since 2011. Including EU settled status and a small number of immediate family cases, indefinite leave grants totalled 537,698. The rise reflects people who arrived on work and Hong Kong BN(O) visas in 2020 and 2021 now completing five-year qualifying periods, plus a possible rush to apply before rules change.

The migration and policy rows show the opposite direction. Net migration fell to 171,000 in 2025 from 331,000 a year earlier. The Government’s own forecast says 1.6 million people will become eligible to settle between 2026 and 2030, which is the main reason it wants a longer qualifying period. UK Settlement Statistics 2026 therefore describe a flow of permanent residents that is high now and policy aimed at slowing it.

UK Settlement Grants 2026: Indefinite Leave by Type

INDEFINITE LEAVE GRANTS BY TYPE, YEAR ENDING JUNE 2026 (%)
EU Settlement Scheme          ████████████████████████████████████████  62.5
Settlement (non-EUSS)         ████████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  37.1
Immediate settlement (family) █░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░   0.3

Data source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2026, “How many Indefinite Leave (Settlement and EUSS settled status) grants have been issued in the UK?” (August 2026); Free Movement. Shares are report calculations.

Total indefinite leave reached 537,698 in the year ending June 2026. The EU Settlement Scheme accounted for 336,229, or 62.5%, and settlement under the standard routes for 199,628, or 37.1%. The Home Office has been upgrading some pre-settled status holders automatically since January 2025, and April 2026 changes introduced more flexible absence rules, producing more than 78,000 automated grants in a year.

Immediate settlement for family cases is small and shrinking, at 1,841, down 34%. The 199,628 standard settlement grants are the figure that the earned settlement reforms target, since EU Settlement Scheme holders, Windrush cases and care-experienced young people are outside the consultation. Anyone reading UK Settlement Statistics 2026 should note that the headline of more than half a million grants is mostly EU settled status, not new points-based migrants.

Who Is Settling in the UK 2026: Work Visas, BN(O) and Nationality

SETTLEMENT GRANTS BY LEAVE TYPE, YEAR ENDING JUNE 2026 (THOUSANDS)
Work routes              ████████████████████████████████████████  80.4
"Other" leave types      ████████████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░  57.4
BN(O) visa holders       ███████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  38.4
Indian nationals (all)   █████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  35.4

Data source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2026 (published August 27, 2026), settlement tables; VisaVerge and Visa Guru reporting on the release.

Work visas lead settlement. Grants to people whose most recent leave was on a work route rose 36% to 80,409, about 40.3% of the 199,628 total (report calculation). Indian nationals were the largest nationality group, with 35,384 grants, up 51%. Settlement grants to the “other” category more than tripled to 57,433.

The BN(O) route explains the sharpest jump. The first Hong Kong BN(O) arrivals in 2021 reached their five-year mark, and settlement grants to the group rose from 587 to 38,373. Because settlement lags entry by about five years, these figures reflect 2020–2021 arrivals. UK Settlement Statistics 2026 therefore show a peak from past visa waves, which the Government says will grow further.

UK Net Migration 2026: ONS Figures for Immigration and Emigration

LONG-TERM MIGRATION, UK (THOUSANDS)
Net migration peak (YE Mar 2023)   ████████████████████████████████████████  944
Net migration YE Dec 2024 (rev.)   ██████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  331
Net migration YE Jun 2025          █████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  204
Net migration YE Dec 2025          ███████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  171

Data source: Office for National Statistics, Long-term international migration, provisional: year ending December 2025 (May 21, 2026); revised comparison figures as reported by Full Fact and EIN.

Net migration fell to 171,000 in 2025, the lowest since early 2021 and 82% below the 944,000 peak of March 2023 (report calculation). Immigration dropped 20% to 813,000, and the fall was concentrated among non-EU+ nationals arriving for work. EU+ nationals have a negative net balance of 42,000. These are provisional estimates, which ONS revises after a year.

Lower arrivals do not reduce settlement grants in the short term, because settlement follows arrival by several years. The 171,000 figure describes inflows today, while the 199,628 settlement grants describe people who arrived around 2020 to 2021. That lag is why the Government framed its reform around the wave of arrivals from 2021 to 2024, which peaked after record immigration. The next ONS estimate, for the year ending June 2026, is due this month, and one analysis of the data expects a further fall.

The 10-Year ILR Rule 2026: Proposed Qualifying Periods by Group

PROPOSED YEARS TO SETTLEMENT (CONSULTATION, NOVEMBER 2025)
Current standard route            █████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░   5
Proposed baseline                 ██████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  10
Health and care / lower-skilled   ███████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  15
Refugees (core protection)        ████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  20
Illegal entry (max penalty added) ████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  +20

Data source: Home Office, A Fairer Pathway to Settlement (CP 1448, November 20, 2025); Greater London Authority briefing (January 2026); The Independent and The Guardian reporting (November 2025 and November 2026). Reported changes for care workers are unconfirmed as of November 2, 2026.

The consultation ran from November 20, 2025 to February 12, 2026, an 84-day window (report calculation), and drew more than 200,000 responses. The Home Secretary said the move from five to 10 years was not up for consultation. The proposals would apply to people already in the UK who do not yet have ILR, with exemptions for EU Settlement Scheme holders, Windrush cases and care-experienced young people. The existing 10-year long residence route would be abolished.

Reported changes before the final statement point to a softer outcome for social care workers already in the UK, who would be exempt from a 15-year wait. Reports say care workers could count five years in a public service occupation toward a reduction, which would bring 15 years down to 10. The Migration Advisory Committee did not support the 10-year baseline and recommended keeping five years while restricting access to public funds. Final rules, not the proposals, will govern UK Settlement Statistics 2026 for new cases.

UK Settlement Forecast 2026–2030: 1.6 Million People and the Cost of Care Worker Settlement

GOVERNMENT AND THINK-TANK FIGURES, 2026-2030 (THOUSANDS)
Settlement eligibility forecast       ███████████████████████████████  1,600
Peak year (2028) eligibility          ███████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░    450
Low-skilled workers and dependants    █████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░    350
Care workers and dependants (IPPR)    ███████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░    287

Data source: Home Office, A Fairer Pathway to Settlement (November 2025); Home Secretary’s speech to IPPR (March 5, 2026), as reported by PA and ITV (November 1, 2026); IPPR analysis as reported by AOL and PA (November 2026). The £10 billion figure is the Home Secretary’s citation of Migration Advisory Committee analysis.

The Government expects about 1.6 million people to become eligible for settlement between 2026 and 2030, peaking at 450,000 in 2028. Mahmood said that without action, some 350,000 low-skilled workers and dependants who arrived on health and social care visas would qualify over five years, at a lifetime cost to the taxpayer of £10 billion. IPPR puts care workers and dependants expected to settle at 287,000.

Supporters and critics read the same numbers differently. The Government argues that a longer wait protects public finances, while IPPR argues that skilled migrants contribute more than they cost, with a headline estimate of £115 billion to public finances. Signatories of a October 29 letter called the proposals “an iteration of Windrush era policies.” These numbers are forecasts and estimates, and they will shift once the final rules fix who is covered under UK Settlement Statistics 2026.

UK Settlement Policy Timeline 2026: From Consultation to Final Decision

DAYS BETWEEN KEY SETTLEMENT POLICY EVENTS
Consultation open (Nov 20 to Feb 12)     ████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░   84
Consultation close to final statement    ██████████████████████████████████  263

Data source: Home Office; UK Parliament Home Affairs Committee; Statement of Changes HC 1691; Turpin Miller, FSP Law and Narra Solicitors summaries (2026); ITV News and The Guardian (November 1–2, 2026). Day counts are report calculations.

The Home Office first signalled an April 2026 start, then moved the target to autumn after the Home Secretary’s March interview and speech. The decision arrives 263 days after the consultation closed on February 12 (report calculation). Until the final rules take effect, the five-year routes stay open and the 10-year long residence route remains available, which is why many lawyers advised eligible applicants to apply early.

One measure is already law. Statement of Changes HC 1691 of March 5, 2026 raises the English language requirement for settlement to CEFR level B2 from March 26, 2027, and it applies to people already on a pathway to settlement. The main earned settlement rules are not yet in the Immigration Rules. The Home Office said transitional arrangements remained under consideration in September 2026. The final statement will set how UK Settlement Statistics 2026 translate into rules for people already in the system.

UK Citizenship and English Requirements 2026: Applications, Grants and the B2 Rule

UK CITIZENSHIP, YEAR ENDING JUNE 2026 (THOUSANDS)
Citizenship applications         ████████████████████████████████████████  315.2
Citizenship grants (approx.)     ███████████████████████████████░░░░░░░░░  246
Settlement grants (non-EUSS)     █████████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  199.6

Data source: Home Office, Immigration system statistics, year ending June 2026 (published August 27, 2026); Free Movement; VisaVerge; Statement of Changes HC 1691 (March 2026).

Citizenship applications hit a record 315,224 in the year ending June 2026, while about 246,000 citizenship grants were issued, so more people are applying than the system is approving in a year. Citizenship usually requires settled status first, so many applicants already hold ILR.

Language rules are tightening. From March 26, 2027 most routes will require B2 English for settlement, a step above the current B1. The asylum figures show a very different system from 2022: the grant rate fell to 38% from 48% a year earlier, and the backlog of initial decisions fell 56% to just over 40,000. These changes sit alongside UK Settlement Statistics 2026, because refugee settlement is the group facing the proposed 20-year route.

UK Settlement 2026 FAQ

What Is the New 10-Year ILR Rule in the UK in 2026?

The Government proposed raising the standard qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain from five to 10 years, with shorter or longer periods based on contribution and conduct. The final decision was due on November 2, 2026.

Has the 10-Year Settlement Rule Come Into Force in 2026?

As of November 2, 2026, no. The five-year routes remain in the Immigration Rules until the final rules are laid. The English requirement rise to B2 on March 26, 2027 is already law.

How Many People Were Granted Settlement in the UK in 2026?

199,628 settlement grants in the year ending June 2026, up 24% and the highest since 2011. Including EU settled status, total indefinite leave grants were 537,698.

What Is UK Net Migration in 2026?

ONS estimated 171,000 for the year ending December 2025, down from 331,000. The next release, covering the year ending June 2026, is due in November 2026.

How Many People Will Qualify for UK Settlement Between 2026 and 2030?

The Government forecasts about 1.6 million, with a peak of 450,000 in 2028.

How Long Will Refugees Wait for Settlement in the UK in 2026?

The November 2025 proposals set 20 years for refugees on the core protection route, with 10 years for those on resettlement schemes.

Will Care Workers Face a 15-Year Wait for Settlement in 2026?

The original proposals set 15 years for health and care visa holders. Reports before the final statement said care workers already in the UK were likely to be exempt, but the outcome was not confirmed at the time of writing.

What English Level Is Needed for UK Settlement in 2026?

CEFR level B2 from March 26, 2027, up from B1, under Statement of Changes HC 1691.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.