Proposed reform — not yet law
Earned settlement, explained.
The government has proposed replacing the fixed route to ILR with a points-style 'earned settlement' model. Here's what's on the table, what it would mean for your route, and what's actually law today.
Where things stand
The consultation — “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” — closed in February 2026. No outcome has been published and no Immigration Rule has changed: the qualifying periods in force today are exactly what they were — 5 years for most work and family routes, 3 for Global Talent, 10 for long residence. Everything below describes the published proposals, labelled as such. SettleWell's monitor reads gov.uk daily; the day any of this becomes law, users are told what changed and what it means for their own date.
The proposed model in one paragraph
Start from a 10-year baseline (15 years for eligible roles below degree level, which includes many social care roles). Subtract earned reductions: up to 7 years for high income or a fast route like Global Talent, 5 for sustained £50,270+ earnings or public-service work or being the partner of a British citizen, smaller cuts for volunteering and C1 English. Add penalties: 5 or 10 years for claiming public funds, up to 20 for illegal entry or overstaying, capped at 30 years in total. Minimum requirements — B2 English, National Insurance contributions, the Life in the UK test — would apply to everyone.
What it means for your route
The proposals land very differently depending on where you stand. Each sheet below works through one cohort: the baseline you'd face, the reductions you could earn, and the checklist worth starting now.
Estimate your date under the proposals
The earned settlement calculator models the published consultation for your route, income and circumstances — clearly labelled as an estimate of a proposal, next to the law as it stands.
Questions people ask
Is the 10-year ILR rule already in force?
No. Earned settlement is a consultation proposal — the consultation closed in February 2026 and no outcome has been published. The rules in force today are unchanged: 5 years for most work and family routes, 3 for Global Talent, 10 for long residence. SettleWell watches gov.uk daily and alerts users the moment anything changes.
What exactly is being proposed?
Replacing the fixed qualifying periods with a points-style model: a 10-year baseline (15 for eligible roles below degree level), shortened by earned reductions — income, public-service work, volunteering, higher English — and lengthened by penalties such as claiming public funds, with the total capped at 30 years.
Would time I've already served count?
The proposals are expected to count lawful residence already accrued, but the qualifying period itself would be recalculated under the new baseline and adjustments. Transitional arrangements — who stays on the old rules — are among the most important unanswered questions.
Who would be hit hardest?
On the published proposals: workers in roles below degree level (RQF 3–5), including many social care workers, who'd face a 15-year baseline rather than 10 — and anyone who has claimed public funds, which adds 5 or 10 years.
Can Global Talent still settle in 3 years under the proposals?
Yes. Three years on Global Talent or Innovator Founder is proposed to qualify for a −7 year reduction against the 10-year baseline, keeping a 3-year fast route. High earners (£125,140+ for 3 years) reach the same reduction through income.
What should I do right now?
Don't panic, and don't plan around rumours. The current rules are the law today, so protect your existing clock: keep absences inside the limits, avoid gaps between visas, and keep your records clean. Then estimate your position under the proposals with the calculator, so a rule change arrives as an update rather than a shock.
Sources: the gov.uk earned-settlement consultation, House of Commons Library briefing CBP-10267, and the Migration Observatory's commentary. Proposals described are not law. Guidance in plain English, not legal advice.