29/05/2026
UK update · is the 10 year settlement law in force yet.
Not yet. And it is important to be clear about that.
The reforms have not been fully enacted.
Here is exactly where they sit today.
· 12 May 2025 · the White Paper “Restoring Control over the Immigration System” was published. A statement of intent, not law.
· 28 November 2025 · the “A Fairer Pathway to Settlement” consultation opened.
· 12 February 2026 · the consultation closed with around 130,000 responses.
· 5 March 2026 · the Home Secretary laid the first Statement of Changes (HC 1691) before Parliament. This is the start of the legal process, not the end of it.
· From April 2026 · staggered implementation begins, in pieces.
· 26 March 2027 · the new B2 English requirement for settlement takes effect.
Confirmed in principle
The government will proceed with the Earned Settlement model and the ten-year baseline for ILR.
Still being decided
Transitional arrangements for people already partway through a five year settlement route. Whether the rules apply retrospectively. Final volunteering, conduct and integration criteria. The treatment of applicants close to current eligibility.
What this means for you, today.
Existing settlement routes and qualifying periods continue to apply until the corresponding amendments are written into the Immigration Rules.
A file that is ready to lodge under the current framework should be lodged under the current framework. Plans that depend on the new framework should wait until the relevant rule is actually in force.
This is a moving target. Do not lock decisions to draft proposals.
Move with certainty.
