BNO settlement grants jump in latest Home Office statistics
28 Aug 2026
If you came to the UK on a BNO visa, new Home Office figures show you are part of a wave of settlement applications now working through the system. In the year ending June 2026, settlement grants linked to BNO visa holders rose from 587 to 38,373 compared with the previous year.
The Home Office statistics, published on 27 August 2026, explain that this jump "primarily reflected grants to BN(O) visa holders" as early arrivals under the route, which launched in January 2021, reach the five year point needed to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
If you are approaching your own five year mark, this is a good moment to double check your continuous residence record and make sure you have not gone over the absence limits for your visa type. With more BNO applicants now going through settlement, processing volumes are higher than in previous years, so gathering your evidence early can help avoid delays.
Check your own timeline and absence days with our ILR calculator, and review the official settlement guidance before you apply.
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