Settle Permanently in the UK With ILR

Apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain: 5 or 10-year qualifying periods, 180-day continuous residence rule, Life in the UK test and Knowledge of Language (KoLL).

Wesbridge Associates is an IAA-regulated UK immigration law firm. Our advisers support individuals, families and UK sponsors with skilled worker visas, sponsor licences, family routes, settlement (ILR), British citizenship, appeals and compliance — combining experienced legal advice with AI-powered self-service tools.

Reviewed by Wesbridge Associates' IAA-regulated immigration advisers. Last updated: July 2026.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), also called settlement, is permanent permission to live and work in the UK with no time limit. Wesbridge Associates prepares ILR applications on every qualifying route — Skilled Worker and other 5-year work routes, spouse/partner (5 or 10-year), long residence, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, UK Ancestry, adult dependent relative, refugee and EU Settlement Scheme upgrade — checking continuous residence, absences, the Life in the UK test and English requirements before you apply.

Qualifying periods by route

The qualifying period is the continuous lawful residence you need in the correct category before you can apply. It is 5 years on Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, spouse/partner (5-year route), Scale-up, Representative of an Overseas Business, UK Ancestry, refugee status and most work routes; 3 years on Global Talent and Innovator Founder (accelerated criteria) and Investor (Tier 1); 10 years on the long residence route (continuous lawful residence in any category or combination) and the 10-year partner/private life route. Time in the UK as a visitor, short-term student or on immigration bail does not count.

Continuous residence and absences

For most work and family routes you must not have been absent from the UK for more than 180 days in any rolling 12-month period across the whole qualifying period. Time abroad on annual leave, business travel, remote working with sponsor permission or serious/compelling reasons (bereavement, illness, natural disaster) is counted the same as any other absence. For long residence (10 years) the rules are different: single absences must not exceed 184 days and total absences must not exceed 548 days across the 10 years. Our continuous residence calculator applies the correct rule for your route.

Life in the UK test and English (KoLL)

The Knowledge of Language and Life in the UK requirement (KoLL) has two parts: (1) pass the Life in the UK test — a 45-minute, 24-question multiple-choice test based on the official handbook, currently £50; and (2) meet English at CEFR B1 speaking and listening. B1 can be met with a Home Office-approved SELT, a degree taught and researched in English (with UK ENIC confirmation where earned outside listed countries), or the nationality of a majority-English-speaking country. Applicants aged 65 or over, and those with a long-term physical or mental condition preventing them from meeting the requirement, are exempt.

How it works with Wesbridge

Step 1 — free eligibility screening: correct route, qualifying period, absences, dependants and any adverse immigration history. Step 2 — fixed-fee engagement, KoLL evidence review (test booking if needed) and full document checklist (payslips, P60s, HMRC records, biometric residence permits, absences log). Step 3 — online SET(M)/SET(O)/SET(LR) application drafted, IHS not payable at ILR (fee currently £3,029 standard; Super Priority £4,029). Step 4 — biometrics at UKVCAS, decision monitoring (standard around 6 months; Super Priority 5 working days where eligible). Step 5 — on grant, we brief you on your rights as a settled person and diarise naturalisation eligibility (usually 12 months after ILR, or straight away if married to a British citizen).

Frequently asked questions

What if I have exceeded 180 days abroad in a 12-month period?

Excess absences usually break continuous residence and reset the clock. Limited discretion exists for absences due to serious/compelling circumstances (for example, life-threatening illness of a close family member) or Home Office-recognised events such as the COVID-19 concession windows. Evidence is essential — do not assume discretion will be exercised.

Do I have to pass the Life in the UK test even if English is my first language?

Yes. Language and the Life in the UK test are two separate requirements; being a native English speaker does not exempt you from the test. The only exemptions from Life in the UK are age (65+) and long-term physical or mental conditions preventing you from taking it.

Can my family apply for ILR at the same time?

Dependants on your route can normally apply in line once they have completed the same qualifying period on the correct visa, meet KoLL (children under 18 are exempt from Life in the UK, adult dependants are not), and satisfy the good character and continuous residence rules. Partners often apply on the same form; each pays their own fee.

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