ILPA briefing warns earned settlement may not mean ten years for most applicants
08 Oct 2026
If you're planning for ILR, the earned settlement proposals could change how long you wait. These are proposals, not rules in force. On 1 October 2026 the Employment Immigration Network (EIN) reported a briefing from ILPA, a body for immigration lawyers, that sets out what it says the Home Office plans really mean.
ILPA says the headline 10-year route would apply to few people. For Skilled Worker applicants, it reports that 48% would face 15 years or more. It says 44% would face five years or less. Only 8% would face the 10-year route.
Cost is another concern. The briefing says "a family of four on a 10-year route could pay more than £68,000 in visa fees." It also warns that people could "fall out of lawful status" if they cannot afford renewal fees or if the Home Office makes errors.
What to do: treat these figures as ILPA's analysis of proposals, not final rules. Keep track of your own qualifying time and visa dates, and watch official GOV.UK announcements for any change to the settlement rules.
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