Settlement in the UK is a prerequisite for becoming a British citizen and brings lifelong benefits. It marks an important step in integrating and contributing to local communities and the wider country. It is a privilege and not a right.

Currently, individuals qualify for settlement primarily on the basis of the length of time they have spent in the UK alongside a knowledge of life test which is used to verify knowledge of British customs, history, traditions, laws and political system.

These criteria alone do not reflect our strong belief that people should contribute to the economy and society before gaining settled status in the UK. Moreover, they fail to promote integration, which limits the wider benefit from long term migration into the UK and increases pressure on public services.

We plan to fundamentally reform the settlement rules for the first time in over 50 years. The Immigration White Paper, published in May 2025, set out that the default qualifying period for settlement would be increased from five to ten years.

Following that, in November 2025, we published ‘A Fairer Pathway to Settlement’ and launched a consultation alongside it. The Command Paper set out new mandatory requirements for settlement and proposed reductions and penalties.

Due to the unprecedented level of migration to the UK in recent years, settlement grants are expected to increase considerably over the next five years. Around 1.6 million people are forecast to settle between 2026 and 2030.

Importantly, individuals will have the opportunity to reduce the qualifying period to settlement based on contributions to the UK economy and society.

Speaking English at a high level, earning a high salary and being employed in specific public service roles would result in a reduction. However, where a person has claimed public funds or committed immigration offences, they would face a penalty of extra years.

We understand how important these issues are to individuals, families and communities.  That is precisely why the Government ran a public consultation to gather views on the proposals.

The consultation, which ran for 12 weeks, opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026.  We are now reviewing and analysing the 200,000 responses received.  This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.

The UK was previously a signatory to the European Communities Association Agreement (ECAA), also known as the ‘Ankara Agreement’, by virtue of its membership of the European Union (EU). The UK’s obligations under the ECAA ended on 31 December 2020, with Appendix ECAA (Extension of Stay) introduced in the Immigration Rules to enable those already in the UK under the ECAA to apply for further extensions of leave, with largely similar requirements and conditions. However, these post EU-exit commitments did not extend to future requirements for settlement applications.

The UK has provided a settlement route for ECAA workers, ECAA businesspersons and their family members since July 2018, with criteria that reflect the UK’s standard settlement rules. Appendix ECAA (Settlement) was introduced following the judgment of R (Aydogdu) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] UKUT 167 (IAC). This confirmed that the previous preferential arrangements for settlement for ECAA businesspersons were not necessary to give effect to the UK’s obligations under the ECAA.

For those who are on a pathway to settlement but have not yet been granted settled status, including ECAA visa holders, we consulted on transitional arrangements for these individuals.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.  As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both economic impact assessments and equality impact assessments.

We appreciate the time taken by all those who contributed their views, and we remain committed to developing a fair and transparent system that reflects both the needs of the UK and the contributions of those who wish to build their lives here.

Home Office