Migratio United Kingdom · Guides · Find advisers · For advisers

ILR fee in 2026: £3,226 per person and extras

Indefinite leave to remain (ILR) costs £3,226 for each person applying, and the Home Office fee table of 8 October 2026 shows no change from the current fee. Most applicants aged 18 to 64 also pay £50 for the Life in the UK Test, and can pay £500 or £1,000 more per person for a faster decision where the application type allows it. There is no health surcharge for ILR.

Indefinite leave to remain, usually shortened to ILR, is how most people settle in the UK. The Home Office application fee is the same for the main applicant and for every family member who applies: £3,226 each. This guide sets out the fee as at 10 October 2026, who pays it, the extra costs that surround an application, how the optional faster-decision fees work, and what total a family can expect to calculate from the published figures. It also sets out what the fee does not include.

It is about money, not eligibility. It does not say whether any person qualifies for ILR or when they should apply. The qualifying period for each route is in the Immigration Rules and is covered in separate guides; the proposal known as earned settlement, which concerns future qualifying periods, is covered in its own guide and does not change what the fee table says today.

Figures come from the Home Office fee table dated 8 October 2026 and from GOV.UK's ILR, Life in the UK Test, healthcare surcharge and faster decision pages. Fees change by regulation, so check the current table before you pay.

The fee

The Home Office table "Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026" lists, in its section for other applications made in the UK, a line for indefinite leave to remain for the main applicant and dependants: £3,226. The table has columns for the current fee and the fee from 8 October 2026, and both show £3,226, with a change of £0.

GOV.UK's pages for the main work routes repeat the figure in plain words: "It costs £3,226 for each person applying." Those pages cover the Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, T2 and Tier 2 route; the Innovator Founder and Innovator route; and the combined page for Global Talent, Tier 1 Investor and Tier 1 Entrepreneur. The figure is the same on each.

The table lists the same £3,226 in two other places: indefinite leave to enter for HM Armed Forces service leavers and members, and for dependants, under Appendix HM Armed Forces; and indefinite leave to enter for victims of domestic abuse and dependent children under Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse. Those are entry-clearance lines for people outside the UK, not the in-UK ILR line described above.

In the in-UK section the table has one indefinite leave to remain line, not a separate line for each route.

Who pays, and how many times

Everyone who applies pays. GOV.UK's Skilled Worker ILR page says you can include your partner and children on the same application form if they are eligible, and the fee is for each person applying. So a family of four on one form pays four times £3,226.

Dependants who are not ready to apply with the main applicant can apply separately later. GOV.UK says, for Skilled Worker and Innovator Founder holders, that partners and children can continue to extend their visa as a dependant even after the main applicant gets ILR. A separate application is a separate £3,226.

The fee is the same whichever qualifying period applies. A person settling after 3 years (some Global Talent and Innovator Founder holders), after 5 years (for example Skilled Worker, UK Ancestry or British National (Overseas)), or after 10 years (long residence) is not charged a different application fee because of it. GOV.UK's overview of ILR says you must usually have lived and worked in the UK for 5 years on a work visa, that Tier 1 visas can be 2 or 3 years, that Innovator Founder or Global Talent can be 3 years, that 10 years of living in the UK can also qualify, and that UK Ancestry and British National (Overseas) holders need 5 years. The rules for each route are in the Immigration Rules and in the related guides.

Extra costs around the fee

The £3,226 is not the whole spend. These other items are published:

  • Life in the UK Test: £50. GOV.UK says you need to book at least 3 days in advance, that there are over 30 test centres, and that the test is 24 questions in 45 minutes with 75% needed to pass. You may need it for settlement if you are 18 to 64; you do not need to take it if you are under 18, are 65 or over, have passed it before, or have a long-term physical or mental condition and provide the required exemption form or doctor's letter. A pass gives a unique reference number needed for the settlement application.
  • English language evidence. The cost depends on the route and on the date of application. GOV.UK's Skilled Worker ILR page says you do not need to prove English when you apply to settle using that visa, because it was proved at the visa stage. Rule SW 22A.1 of Appendix Skilled Worker requires B2 English for applications on or after 26 March 2027, and the explanatory memorandum to the March 2026 Statement of Changes (HC 1691) lists the other routes whose settlement English requirement moves from B1 to B2 on that date. The fee table does not list the price of an English test, which is paid to the test provider. See the guide on B2 English for settlement.
  • Biometrics: no fee. GOV.UK says you will each need to have your fingerprints and a photo taken, and that there is no fee for this.
  • Translations and documents. Documents not in English or Welsh need certified translations; the cost is not set by the Home Office.
  • Healthcare surcharge: not payable for ILR. GOV.UK's surcharge page says you do not need to pay if you are applying to remain in the UK permanently. It adds one exception that matters: you do need to pay the surcharge if you apply for ILR but are only given limited leave, and you must pay it before being given the leave.
  • Invalid application: £30. The fee table lists a £30 charge for processing an application that is subsequently rejected as invalid.
  • Administrative review: £80. If an ILR application is refused and the Rules give a right of administrative review, the fee table lists £80. The Skilled Worker appendix, for example, says in rule SW 25.2 that a refused person can apply for administrative review.

Faster decisions: £500 or £1,000 per person

GOV.UK offers two paid services, where the application type is eligible:

  • Priority service: £500 in addition to the application fee. GOV.UK's Skilled Worker ILR page says a decision within 5 working days.
  • Super priority service: £1,000 in addition to the application fee. On the same page, a decision by the end of the next working day after providing fingerprints and a photo, if the appointment is on a weekday, or 2 working days after if it is at a weekend.

GOV.UK's faster decision page says that for each family member applying with you, you pay the extra amount again, and every family member must pay for a faster decision for everyone to be decided at the same time. It also says you will not usually get your money back if the decision takes longer, for example because the Home Office needs to check details with other departments or ask for more information.

Eligibility depends on the type of application. The faster decision page lists eligible settlement applications in a table that distinguishes work-route settlement applications made on form SET(O), partner and parent applications on form SET(M), long residence, Innovator Founder and others, with different availability for each service. Two details on GOV.UK do not line up. The faster decision page says, under the priority service, "Settlement and citizenship applications usually take 30 working days", while the Skilled Worker ILR page promises 5 working days for the priority service. The page for Global Talent, Tier 1 and similar visas says the £500 priority service is available to Tier 1 (Investor) applicants and the £1,000 super priority service to Tier 1 (Investor) and Global Talent applicants, and that neither is available to Tier 1 (Entrepreneur). Read the page for your route, and the choices shown on the online application, before paying. The online application is where you are told whether a service is available to you.

Worked totals from the published figures

These examples use only the figures above. They assume everyone applying is eligible, that no faster service is used unless stated, and they leave out English tests, translations and travel to appointments.

  • One adult, Skilled Worker route, no faster service: £3,226 + £50 Life in the UK Test = £3,276.
  • A couple, both aged 18 to 64, on one form: 2 × £3,226 + 2 × £50 = £6,552.
  • Two adults and two children under 18 on one form: 4 × £3,226 + 2 × £50 = £12,904 + £100 = £13,004. Children under 18 do not need the Life in the UK Test.
  • The same family, with the £500 priority service for all four people: £13,004 + 4 × £500 = £15,004.

Where a Home Office table shows no change, as in the 8 October 2026 table, it means the fee did not move on that date. It does not say what the fee will be later. Fees can be raised by regulations, and the Home Office publishes a revised table when that happens, so a plan that depends on the exact total should check the current table the week of the application.

When the money is paid, and the timing around it

You pay the fee as part of the online application. GOV.UK says you can apply from 28 days before you reach the qualifying period, and that your application may be refused if you apply earlier. It also says not to wait until your current visa expires: if your visa would expire before you can apply for ILR, you need to renew it first.

GOV.UK says that for Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, T2 and Tier 2 holders you will usually get a decision within 6 months of providing your fingerprints and photo. The Innovator Founder page gives six months from either submitting the application (if told to use the UK Immigration: ID Check app) or having fingerprints and photo taken (if told to go to a UKVCAS service point). While waiting you must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, or the application will be withdrawn. Approved ILR gives the right to work, run a business, study, use public services and apply for public funds and pensions, and to apply for British citizenship, usually after a minimum of 12 months. GOV.UK also warns that you can lose ILR if you stay outside the UK for more than 2 years at a time.

The fee is paid up front, so the practical points are the exact moment of eligibility, the documents, and whether a faster service is available. The guides on ILR after a Skilled Worker visa, the 180-day absences rule and long residence cover those points.

What this fee does not tell you

The fee guide cannot tell you whether you can apply, whether your qualifying period is complete, whether your absences are within the limit, or whether the salary and sponsor conditions of your route are met. Those are matters of the Immigration Rules and your own history. The earned settlement consultation paper sets out proposals about future qualifying periods and a no-recourse-to-public-funds condition on settlement; it is a proposal, not law, and the earned settlement guide explains the published dates and what the Rules say now.

People often ask an adviser to check three things before paying the fee: that the qualifying period is complete on the date they plan to apply, that the continuous residence calculation is right, and that every dependant meets their own requirements. Only IAA-registered advisers, solicitors and a few other regulated persons may lawfully give immigration advice in the UK. See the guides on checking an adviser is registered and on questions to ask before paying.

The Migratio directory lists IAA-registered advisers (with their level) and SRA-regulated solicitors, each with their regulator and registration number. Migratio is not regulated by the IAA or the SRA and does not give immigration advice. This page explains how the rules work; it does not tell you what to do in your case.

Questions people ask

How much is the ILR fee in the UK?

£3,226 for each person applying, according to the Home Office fee table of 8 October 2026 and GOV.UK's ILR pages. A partner or child applying with you pays the same amount.

Do I pay the immigration health surcharge for ILR?

No, GOV.UK says you do not need to pay it if you are applying to remain in the UK permanently. If you apply for ILR but are only given limited leave, you do need to pay it before the leave is granted.

How much is the Life in the UK Test?

£50. You book it online at least 3 days in advance. The test has 24 questions in 45 minutes and the pass mark is 75%. You do not need it if you are under 18 or 65 or over, or in the other cases GOV.UK lists.

Can I pay for a faster ILR decision?

Where your application type is eligible: £500 extra per person for the priority service or £1,000 extra per person for the super priority service. Check the faster decision page and the online application, because availability and stated times differ between pages.

Does the ILR fee change if I settle after 3, 5 or 10 years?

No. The fee table lists one in-UK fee for indefinite leave to remain, £3,226, for the main applicant and dependants. The qualifying period depends on the route and is set out in the Immigration Rules.

Will the ILR fee change under earned settlement?

Earned settlement is a consultation proposal about qualifying periods and conditions. It is not part of the Immigration Rules, and the 8 October 2026 fee table lists £3,226. Check the current fee table before you pay.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-10.

Related guides

  • ILR after a Skilled Worker visa: the 5-year test — Settlement as a Skilled Worker needs 5 continuous years with permission on listed work routes, absences of no more than 180 days in any 12 months, a sponsor that still approves and pays you at least the settlement salary, and the Life in the UK Test. Rule SW 22A.1 adds B2 English for applications made on or after 26 March 2027. The fee is £3,226 per person.
  • Earned settlement: what is proposed vs the rules now — Earned settlement is a proposal in a Home Office consultation that opened on 20 November 2025 and had a closing date of 13 February 2026. It is not in the Immigration Rules. The rules read on 10 October 2026 still set 5 years for Skilled Worker settlement and 3 or 5 years for Global Talent, and 3 years for Innovator Founder.
  • ILR absences: the 180-day rule explained — For most routes to indefinite leave to remain, the Rules say you must not have been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period, counted on a rolling basis for permission granted since 11 January 2018. A short list of absences does not count, and time on long residence before 11 April 2024 follows older limits.
  • Long residence ILR: 10 years' lawful UK residence — Long residence is a route to indefinite leave to remain for people who have lived in the UK lawfully and continuously for 10 years. Most permission counts, visitor and some other time does not, dependants cannot be included, and the application fee is £3,226 (£1,407 for a two-year extension if English or Life in the UK is not met).
  • B2 English for UK settlement from 26 March 2027 — The Immigration Rules already say that, for applications for settlement made on or after 26 March 2027, speaking and listening English must be shown at level B2 instead of B1 on a long list of routes, including Skilled Worker, Long Residence, Global Talent, Private Life and partner and parent settlement. It is a rule that has been laid, not a proposal, and it applies to people already on the path.
  • Settling as a partner after 5 years: ILR and form SET(M) — A partner on the 5-year route can apply for indefinite leave to remain after 60 months of continuous residence on partner permission with the same partner. The application costs £3,226, uses the online form SET(M), and needs the financial requirement, English and Life in the UK test evidence again.
  • British citizenship cost: £1,709 plus £130 ceremony — Applying to naturalise as a British citizen costs £1,709, and a £130 citizenship ceremony fee is added, so £1,839 in total. Registering a child costs £1,000. The Life in the UK Test is £50 and the optional priority service is £500 more, according to GOV.UK and the Home Office fee table of 8 October 2026.
  • Global Talent visa: endorsement routes and fees — The Global Talent visa has no employer sponsor. Most applicants first pay £561 for an endorsement from an approved body, then £205 for the visa (£766 in total); prize winners pay £766 and skip the endorsement. Each grant lasts up to 5 years, and settlement is possible after 3 or 5 years depending on how you were endorsed.
  • Innovator Founder visa: endorsement and costs — The Innovator Founder visa needs an endorsement from a Home Office approved body for a new, innovative, viable and scalable business. The visa costs £1,357 from outside the UK or £1,693 inside, plus a £1,000 endorsement fee and £500 per contact meeting, plus the healthcare surcharge. It lasts up to 3 years and can lead to settlement after 3 years if the business meets set criteria.
  • Questions to ask an immigration adviser before you pay — Before you pay, a UK immigration adviser should be able to show you their registration, their level, a fee scale and a written client care letter. IAA advisers must invoice you, give a receipt, keep money paid in advance in a separate client account, and wait seven days after an invoice before taking a pre-authorised card payment.