UK replaces 5-year settlement with a contribution model: default rises to 10 years, BN(O) keeps 5
United Kingdom · Residency planning · Set out before Parliament on 2 November 2026, with consultation response CP 1707
| Country / region | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Category | Residency planning |
| Date | 2 November 2026: Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood made a statement to the House of Commons and the Home Office published "A Fairer Pathway to Settlement: Government Response to the Consultation" (CP 1707) |
| What happened | The UK has replaced automatic settlement after five years with a contribution-based scale. The default qualifying period rises from 5 to 10 years. Applicants earning at least GBP 125,141 (in 3 of the last 4 years) or on Global Talent and Innovator Founder routes may settle in 3 years. Those earning above GBP 50,271 (in 3 of the last 5 years), in eligible public service roles, or with a recognised British connection may settle in 5 years. People who breached immigration rules, or claimed specified public funds in the 5 years before applying, face 20 years, plus a further 10 years for illegal entry. Everyone must also meet four mandatory conditions: a spotless criminal record, English at B2 level, no debt to the taxpayer, and sustained National Insurance contributions. The 10-year Long Residence route is closed, so time on student, Graduate and visitor routes no longer counts. The government estimates over 500,000 people will wait longer than five years. |
| Impact on applicants | Families planning a UK settlement need to re-run the arithmetic. Three groups are most exposed: Skilled Workers earning below GBP 50,271 (who may be moved to the 10-year path), anyone expecting student and Graduate route years to build towards 10-year Long Residence (that route is closed), and care workers who joined the route after May 2025 (the transitional deal does not reach them). Hong Kong BN(O) holders are unaffected and keep the 5-year route, so five years in the UK now leads to settlement on different terms depending on the route held. |
| Source | UK Home Office / GOV.UK (2026-11-02) ↗ Note on scope: confirmed government policy, not yet in the Immigration Rules and not in force; no implementation date, further guidance promised before implementation and some detail expected in 2027. Threshold figures to be confirmed against CP 1707 and the Rules as laid |
Source: UK Home Office / GOV.UK (2026-11-02) ↗, full text of the Home Secretary's statement ↗ · Last verified: 2026-11-05 · For reference only; not application or legal advice. Always check the official source for current rules.
FAQ
Will the 10-year default apply retroactively to people already in the UK?
The government's position is that settlement rules apply as they stand at the point a decision is made, not as they stood on arrival. The 2 November response grants no general transitional protection to people who arrived before May 2025; only care workers and certain health and education roles have specific arrangements. A Skilled Worker who arrived in 2023 on GBP 40,000 could therefore face a 10-year qualifying period. The policy is not yet in the Immigration Rules, so the rules and transitional provisions in force at the time of decision will govern.
Are Hong Kong BN(O) holders affected?
No. The GOV.UK announcement of 2 November states that family members of British citizens, Hong Kong British Nationals (Overseas) and members of the armed forces keep their current pathways, so BN(O) holders retain the 5-year route to settlement. For Hong Kong families this is the key difference: living in the UK for five years leads to settlement on different terms depending on which route you hold.
Is this in force yet?
No. What was published on 2 November is a confirmed policy decision plus the consultation response (CP 1707). Most of it requires changes to the Immigration Rules; no implementation date has been announced, further guidance is promised before implementation and some detail is expected in 2027. Until the Rules change, the current five-year rules continue to apply.
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