Spouse visas and the points proposal
Two things get run together here: a settlement points system, which does not exist, and a B2 English requirement for settlement, which does and starts on 26 March 2027. This guide separates them and sets out what settlement on the partner route actually requires.
- Section
- Costs, English & General
- Reading time
- 9 min
- Last checked
- 27 March 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
- No points system governs settlement on the partner route, now or in any published proposal.
- Settlement English rises from B1 to B2 on 26 March 2027, and Appendix Settlement Family Life is named in the change.
- The first application still asks A1 English and the extension A2. Neither changes.
- The financial requirement is £29,000 for applications made on or after 11 April 2024; those who first applied before that date keep the £18,600 figure with child additions.
- The earned settlement proposal is a consultation that closed on 12 February 2026 and has not been answered.
There is no points-based settlement system for partners, and the government's own proposal is a time adjustment rather than a points score. What has actually been made is the rise in the settlement English requirement from B1 to B2, which applies to Appendix Settlement Family Life for applications made on or after 26 March 2027. This guide covers that, the requirements in force now, and what the earned settlement consultation would change if it becomes law.
There Is No Points System
Settlement on the partner route is not scored. The requirements for settlement as a partner are a qualifying period of residence, a relationship that is genuine and subsisting, the financial requirement, the knowledge of language and life requirement, and suitability. Nothing is awarded in points, and nothing is traded off against anything else.
The proposal people usually have in mind is a time adjustment, not a points score: a default qualifying period moved up or down. See our guide to the proposed system.
The English Requirement, Stage by Stage
What the family route asks for now:
- First application: A1
- Extension, after 2 years and 6 months: A2
- Settlement: B1
From 26 March 2027 the settlement level becomes B2. This is not a proposal: statement of changes HC 1691, laid on 5 March 2026, raises the settlement English requirement across a list of appendices, and the explanatory memorandum names Appendix Settlement Family Life among them. It says the change was deferred to that date to give those subject to it enough opportunity to take the steps needed to meet it.
The first and extension stages are untouched. See our spouse visa English guide, the route-by-route B2 guide and the B2 proposal guide.
Before booking a test, check whether you are exempt. GOV.UK exempts people aged 65 or over, people who cannot meet the requirement because of a long-term physical or mental condition, nationals of the countries on its majority English-speaking list, and people with a degree taught or researched in English. The country list is fixed and shorter than people expect. If you do need to sit a test, see our study tips and IELTS score guide.
Employment Is Not a Requirement
The partner route has no employment requirement at any stage, and there are no employment points to earn. What it has is a financial requirement, which is about the income or savings available to the couple. It can be met by the sponsor’s income, the applicant’s income where they are in the UK with permission to work, savings, or a combination.
The Financial Requirement at Settlement
The minimum income requirement is £29,000 for applications made on or after 11 April 2024. People who first applied under the family rules before that date keep the earlier figure of £18,600, plus £3,800 for a first child and £2,400 for each further child, capped at £29,000, when they extend and when they apply for settlement.
The £38,700 figure that was announced in December 2023 was never made law. Where the sponsor receives a specified benefit relating to disability or caring, the income requirement is replaced by an adequate maintenance test instead. See our financial requirement guide.
Knowledge of Life in the UK
The knowledge of language and life requirement has two halves: the English level above, and the Life in the UK test. GOV.UK sets the test at 24 questions in 45 minutes with a pass mark of 75%, costs £50, and exempts people under 18 or aged 65 and over.
Volunteering and community involvement are not part of the requirement, and no published rule gives credit for them. See our community groups guide if you are looking for local support rather than for something to put in an application.
The Rest of the Requirements
- Continuous residence for the qualifying period, within the limit on absences
- A relationship with your partner that is genuine and subsisting, and an intention to live together permanently
- Suitability
See our spouse visa to settlement guide and documents checklist.
The Earned Settlement Proposal
On 29 September 2025 the Home Office announced a contribution-based settlement model: a qualifying period of a minimum of 10 years, double the current period, with a reduction available for meeting earnings or integration requirements. It said the plans would be subject to consultation.
That consultation, A Fairer Pathway to Settlement, closed on 12 February 2026. The government has not published its response. Nothing from it is in the Immigration Rules, so no date, threshold or qualifying period from it can be relied on. When something is made, it will appear in a statement of changes, and our 2026 rule changes guide tracks those.
Dates That Are Fixed
- Now: A1 at the first application, A2 at the extension, B1 at settlement. Financial requirement £29,000, or £18,600 with child additions for people who first applied before 11 April 2024
- 26 March 2027: settlement English rises to B2 on the family route and the other appendices named in HC 1691
- No date: anything from the earned settlement consultation
Next Steps
Work out which side of 26 March 2027 your settlement application will fall, and check the exemptions before assuming a test is needed. The GOV.UK settlement pages carry the requirements in force.
Related guides:
Questions and answers
Is there a points system for settlement on the partner route?
No. Settlement on the partner route is not scored in points, and no published Home Office proposal would score it in points. The requirements are the qualifying period, a relationship that is genuine and subsisting, the financial requirement, the knowledge of language and life requirement, and suitability.
Will I need B2 English for settlement on the partner route?
From 26 March 2027, yes. Statement of changes HC 1691, laid on 5 March 2026, raises the settlement English requirement from B1 to B2, and Appendix Settlement Family Life is one of the appendices it names. The explanatory memorandum says the change was deferred to that date to give people time to meet it. For settlement applications made before then, B1 is the requirement.
Does the change affect the first application or the extension?
No. The family route still asks for A1 English at the first application and A2 at the extension after 2 years and 6 months. Only the settlement stage changes.
Is employment required for settlement on the partner route?
No. The partner route has a financial requirement, which is about the income or savings available to the couple and can be met by the sponsor, the applicant, or both together. There is no requirement that the applicant be employed, and no points are awarded for employment.
What is the 'earned settlement' proposal?
A contribution-based model the Home Office announced on 29 September 2025 and consulted on between November 2025 and 12 February 2026, in a paper called 'A Fairer Pathway to Settlement'. It would set a default qualifying period of 10 years and adjust it up or down according to a person's circumstances. The consultation has closed, the government has not published its response, and nothing from it is in the Immigration Rules.
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.