What settlement costs
Indefinite Leave to Remain is a major milestone. This guide explains every cost involved so you can plan your budget.
- Section
- ILR & Settlement
- Reading time
- 8 min
- Last checked
- 21 October 2026
- Source
- The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
- Rowan does not
- Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.
In short
- The ILR application fee is £3,226 per person in 2026.
- You do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge once you have ILR.
- Settlement on the partner, Skilled Worker and Scale-up routes, among others, needs the Life in the UK test (£50). The English level depends on the route and the date of application, and becomes B2 on most routes from 26 March 2027.
- The fee is not refunded if the application is refused.
- The fee is the same on the main work and family routes. Settlement after refugee status or humanitarian protection is free.
The ILR application fee is £3,226 per person in 2026. With one Life in the UK test (£50) the published cost is £3,276. GOV.UK publishes no price for an English language test or for a solicitor. This guide breaks down every expense involved in applying for permanent settlement in the UK.
What Is ILR?
Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is permanent settlement in the UK. Once granted, you can live and work in the UK without any visa restrictions. You can also use ILR as a stepping stone to British citizenship.
On many routes, including the Spouse Visa and Skilled Worker visa routes, the qualifying period for ILR is 5 years.
ILR Application Fee: £3,226
The main cost is the ILR application fee of £3,226. This is one of the highest individual fees in the UK immigration system, and it is charged per person: a partner or child applying at the same time pays the same amount. It is paid when you submit your application.
The fee is the same on the main work and family routes. Whether you held a Spouse Visa, Skilled Worker visa, or another qualifying route, the ILR fee is £3,226.
There is one exception. Settlement for people who hold refugee status or humanitarian protection has no application fee at all. GOV.UK puts it plainly: there is no fee if you have protection status or section 67 leave. Discretionary leave is different, and costs the standard £3,226 for you and each person included in the application.
The fee is not refunded if the application is refused. GOV.UK says an application fee is only refunded if processing of the application has not started. Our ILR requirements guide sets out the published requirements.
Additional Required Costs
Life in the UK Test: £50
Settlement on the partner, Skilled Worker and Scale-up routes, among others, needs a pass in the Life in the UK test before the application. The test costs £50. GOV.UK says you can rebook the test as many times as you need, and you pay each time. People under 18 or aged 65 or over do not need to take it.
English Language Test: No Published Price
The English requirement for settlement depends on the route and on the date of the application:
- Partner and parent routes, Global Talent and Long Residence: B1 in speaking and listening for applications made before 26 March 2027, and B2 for applications made on or after that date.
- Skilled Worker and Scale-up main applicants: no English requirement at settlement for applications made before 26 March 2027. From that date they need B2 in speaking and listening.
- Partners and children of Skilled Workers or Scale-up workers: B1 before 26 March 2027, B2 from that date.
On the partner route, GOV.UK says a B1 or higher test passed for an earlier visa can be used again for settlement, as long as the test is still on the approved list and the certificate has not been withdrawn. For applications made from 26 March 2027 the earlier test must be at B2 or higher. The rules list exemptions, for example for people under 18 or aged 65 or over. GOV.UK publishes no price for a Secure English Language Test. See our English language tests guide.
Biometrics
You must give biometrics (fingerprints and photo) as part of your ILR application. GOV.UK says there is no fee for this. The UK Immigration: ID Check app is free to download, and you are told when you apply whether you can use it.
Optional Costs
Immigration Solicitor: No Published Price
A solicitor is not required for an ILR application, and GOV.UK publishes no figure for what solicitors charge. See our solicitor costs guide.
Priority Processing
GOV.UK offers priority (£500) and super priority (£1,000) for some settlement applications, and publishes a table of which settlement applications can use each one. GOV.UK says priority settlement applications usually take 30 working days, and super priority usually gives a decision by the end of the next working day. See our ILR processing time guide.
Postal Costs and Document Copies
If you send original documents to the Home Office, postage is an extra cost. GOV.UK publishes no figure for certified copies of documents.
No More IHS After ILR
One of the financial benefits of ILR is that you no longer pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. While on a visa, you pay £1,035 per year for NHS access. Once you have ILR, NHS access is included automatically and permanently.
Total Cost Summary
Here is the published cost of an ILR application for one person:
- Application fee: £3,226
- Life in the UK test: £50
- English language test: if needed; GOV.UK publishes no price
- Biometrics: £0
- Solicitor (optional): GOV.UK publishes no price
- Priority processing (optional): £500 (priority) or £1,000 (super priority)
Published minimum: £3,276 (£3,226 + £50).
With priority: £3,776 (£3,276 + £500); with super priority: £4,276 (£3,276 + £1,000).
After ILR, the next step for many people is British citizenship, which costs a further £1,839 (£1,709 to apply, plus a £130 citizenship ceremony fee). For a complete view of all UK immigration costs, see our UK visa fees guide and our hidden costs of immigration guide. Remember that in the years before ILR you will also have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge for each year of your visa.
Questions and answers
How much does ILR cost in 2026?
The ILR application fee in 2026 is £3,226 per person. Additional costs include the Life in the UK test (£50) and an English language test if one is needed. GOV.UK publishes no price for a Secure English Language Test, and none for a solicitor.
Do I have to pay the IHS for ILR?
No. Once you are granted ILR, you no longer pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. ILR gives you permanent access to the NHS without the surcharge.
Is the ILR fee refundable?
The fee is not refunded if the application is refused. GOV.UK says an application fee is only refunded if processing of the application has not started.
Can I pay the ILR fee in instalments?
GOV.UK says the fee is paid when you apply. It does not describe any way to pay in instalments.
Is the ILR fee the same for all routes?
The fee of £3,226 is the same on the main work and family routes, such as the Spouse Visa route and the Skilled Worker route. There is one important exception: settlement for people with refugee status or humanitarian protection has no application fee at all.
Do I need a solicitor for an ILR application?
A solicitor is not required. GOV.UK publishes no figure for what solicitors charge. Anyone giving immigration advice must be registered with the Immigration Advice Authority or be a member of an approved professional body.
This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.