How much does ILR cost in 2026?

The ILR application fee is £3,029 per applicant. There is no Immigration Health Surcharge — settled status grants NHS access. Plus £50 Life in the UK test and £150-£200 English certificate (one-off if not already held). Total per applicant: ~£3,500.

Is ILR more expensive than other UK visa applications?

Yes — at £3,029 per applicant, ILR is one of the most expensive single applications. The fee reflects the value of permanent settlement; once granted, there's no recurring cost. A family of four pays ~£12,000 in ILR fees alone.

Can my employer pay for ILR?

Yes — many employers cover ILR fees as part of long-term retention packages, especially for senior or hard-to-replace staff. The fee can be paid by you, your employer, or split. The settled status is in your name regardless.

ILR Application Cost in 2026: £3,029 and All Add-Ons

TL;DR

UK Indefinite Leave to Remain costs £3,029 per applicant in application fees. Plus £50 Life in the UK test and English certificate if not already held (£150-£200). Total per applicant: ~£3,500. There's no Immigration Health Surcharge on ILR — settled status grants NHS access automatically.

Application fee

The ILR application fee is £3,029 per applicant, regardless of route (Skilled Worker, Spouse, Family, ILR(LR) on long residence, etc.).

Service	Total cost
Standard	£3,029
Priority Service	£3,529 (+£500)
Super-Priority Service	£4,029 (+£1,000)

For a family of four, ILR fees alone come to ~£12,000 — a substantial sum that catches many applicants by surprise.

What's included in the fee

Application processing
Biometric verification
ILR / settled status grant for the duration of the BRP (typically 10 years before reissue, but the underlying status is indefinite)
No further IHS

What's NOT included

Life in the UK test: £50 per attempt
English language test (if not already held): £150-£200 for IELTS Life Skills B1
Biometrics: typically £100, sometimes included in fee
Translations of any non-English documents: £20-£60 each

Worked examples

Example 1 — Single applicant Skilled Worker → ILR

Item	Cost
ILR fee	£3,029
Life in the UK test	£50
Biometrics	£100 (often included)
Total	~£3,200

Example 2 — Couple Spouse route → ILR

Item	Cost
ILR fee × 2	£6,058
Life in the UK test × 2	£100
Biometrics × 2	£200
English certificate (if needed, 1 partner)	£150
Total	~£6,500

Example 3 — Family of four (2 adults, 2 children)

Item	Cost
ILR fees × 4	£12,116
Life in the UK test × 2 (children under 18 exempt)	£100
English certificates if needed	£300
Total	~£12,500

Example 4 — Priority Service for urgent ILR

Item	Cost
Priority ILR fee (single applicant)	£3,529
Life in the UK test	£50
Total	~£3,580

Priority cuts processing from up to 6 months to 30 working days — useful for applicants needing settled status quickly (job offers contingent on settled status, family member visa applications waiting on the sponsor's settled status, etc.).

Hidden costs

Multiple Life in the UK attempts

The pass rate is around 75% — about 1 in 4 attempts fail. Plan for potentially 2 attempts: £100. The test is bookable 24+ hours apart.

English certificate from scratch

If you haven't held an English certificate from your initial visa application (e.g. if you've used degree exemption), getting a certificate now can cost £150-£250.

Translations

Non-English documents — typically marriage certificates, birth certificates, prior visa documentation if from outside the UK — need certified translation. £20-£60 per document.

BRP collection / replacement

The new BRP (or eVisa) is included in the fee, but if you lose the physical card later, replacement is £100. The eVisa transition means most new ILR holders won't get a physical card.

What the fee buys you

ILR is fundamentally different from a time-limited visa:

Permanent right to live and work in the UK — no end date
NHS access on the same basis as British citizens
No more visa fees (until or unless you apply for British citizenship)
No more IHS payments
No more "qualifying" period requirements — you've reached settlement
Right to apply for British citizenship after 12 months (or 3 years if married to a British citizen)

The £3,029 is one-off; everything that comes with ILR is permanent or long-lasting.

Citizenship later

After 12 months on ILR, you can apply for British citizenship. Costs:

Naturalisation fee: £1,580 per applicant
Citizenship ceremony: £30 per applicant
No new IHS (already granted in ILR)
Life in the UK test: not retaken if you already have a valid pass
English certificate: not retaken if you already have one

So total settlement journey:

ILR: £3,500 per applicant
Citizenship after 12 months on ILR: £1,610 per applicant
Total to British passport from ILR: ~£5,100 per applicant

Who pays

Most ILR applicants pay personally — you've usually been in the UK for 5+ years on visas and built financial stability. Employers occasionally cover ILR for senior staff retention.

For couples, the financially-stronger partner often covers both ILR fees. UKVI doesn't care who pays.

How to budget

Set aside £3,500 per applicant well in advance — ILR is one of the larger UK visa expenses
For families, the total is substantial — start saving 12+ months before applying
Consider Priority Service (£500 extra) if processing time is critical
Don't book international travel until ILR is granted — application is invalidated if you spend too much time overseas

For preparing the substantial ILR documentation:

Checklist generator — personalised list including continuous-residence evidence
Bundler — assemble multi-year evidence in canonical UKVI order
Compressor — ILR bundles often exceed UKVCAS limits; compress to fit