ILR Application Fee Rises to £3,226; 'Earned Settlement' Proposal Awaits Implementation
From April 8, 2026, indefinite leave to remain fees increased to £3,226 per applicant. The Home Office's 'Earned Settlement' consultation closed February 12 with 200,000+ responses, but no rule changes have yet taken effect.
Fee Increase Now in Effect
From April 8, 2026, the ILR application fee rose to £3,226 per applicant; priority service is £500 extra and super priority £1,000 extra. This represents a significant cost increase for those pursuing permanent settlement in the UK. The Immigration Health Surcharge is not payable on ILR.
Earned Settlement Consultation: Status Update
The Government consulted on plans to reform the ILR rules through a new Earned Settlement system. The consultation closed on February 12, 2026, and no changes to the Immigration Rules have yet taken effect. The consultation received over 200,000 responses, but as of June 2026, no change to the Immigration Rules has yet taken effect.
The proposed Earned Settlement system would have extended the qualifying period for permanent residence beyond the current standard 5 years. However, reform timelines remain unclear.
Current ILR Eligibility Unchanged
The standard 5-year qualifying period for settlement remains in force as of May 2026, despite the Home Office's ongoing 'earned settlement' consultation. B1 English is the current standard, with B2 due to take effect from March 26, 2027.
What This Means for Settlement Seekers
If you are on a Skilled Worker visa planning to apply for ILR in the next 12–18 months, budget for the new £3,226 fee (plus any priority service cost and the Life in the UK test fee of £50). You will need B1 English currently, but if your application stretches into 2027, you may need to meet B2 standard. While the Earned Settlement reforms may come eventually, they are not yet in force, so the 5-year qualification period still applies. Monitor gov.uk for announcements about any future changes.
Sources
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