Government confirms 10-year baseline for settlement under earned settlement reforms
The government has published its response to the earned settlement consultation, confirming that the starting point for settlement in the UK will rise from 5 to 10 years. The response, dated 12 November 2026, follows more than 200,000 responses to the consultation, which ran from 20 November 2025 to 12 February 2026.
Settlement, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), is a person's right to live in the UK permanently without immigration restrictions. The reforms build on the 2025 Immigration White Paper, which said settlement would no longer follow automatically after a fixed period and would instead have to be earned through sustained good conduct, contribution and integration.
What the framework includes
- People who make a sustained contribution to the UK will be able to qualify sooner than the 10-year baseline.
- Those who break the law or immigration rules may face a longer route, or may be unable to settle at all.
- All applicants must meet mandatory requirements on character and suitability, government debt, English language, the Life in the UK Test and sustained contribution.
- Relevant exemptions will apply, except in relation to criminality.
Changes after the consultation
The government says respondents raised concerns about fairness, complexity and the effect on people already in the UK, while there was also support for a system that better recognises contribution, integration and compliance. It has refined and simplified the framework, broadened the range of contributions that are recognised and strengthened provisions for families. It has also added targeted protections for vulnerable groups.
Distinct arrangements are set out for refugees. Transitional protections will apply to people already in the UK, including care workers and certain health and education workers.
Next steps
The framework still has to be turned into detailed rules and operational arrangements. Before implementation, the government will publish further technical guidance and a full impact assessment, informed by continued engagement with affected groups and stakeholders. It says this will clarify how the reforms will work in practice and how people will move into the new system.
Employers that sponsor or rely on migrant workers will want to follow that guidance and the impact assessment for detail on how the new settlement requirements will apply.