The 5-year residency test
You must have been continuously resident in the UK for at least 5 years on qualifying visa categories (Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker, Scale-up, High Potential Individual combined with Skilled Worker). During the 5 years, absences from the UK must not exceed 180 days in any rolling 12-month period. This is the most-missed rule — applicants doing heavy international travel for work often fail this test silently.
Plan your travel carefully. Use a spreadsheet tracking every departure and arrival date from your UK passport stamps, boarding passes, or airline records. If a single 12-month rolling window exceeds 180 days out of the UK, that year does not count toward ILR and your qualifying period resets.
Employment and salary continuity
You must still be employed by a UK sponsor at a qualifying role and salary at the time you apply for ILR. If you switched jobs, each role must have been validly sponsored (new CoS, approved visa change). Gaps between sponsorships are allowed up to 60 days but risk the continuous-residence test.
Your salary at ILR must meet the current Skilled Worker threshold for your route — which in 2026 is £41,700 for general Skilled Worker. If you're paid less (e.g. you were grandfathered in on the old £26,200 threshold), ILR may be denied. Speak to your HR/immigration team 6-12 months before your ILR date to confirm your package qualifies.
Life in the UK test
All ILR applicants aged 18-65 must pass the Life in the UK test — 24 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes, passing score 75% (18/24). Topics cover British history, culture, politics, and institutions from pre-Roman times to the present. The test costs £50 and is taken at approved Life in the UK test centres.
Preparation: buy the official Life in the UK handbook (£12) and the test practice book (£8). Study for 15-20 hours across 2-3 weeks. Practice tests are widely available online. Pass rate is around 70% for prepared candidates; 50% for those who don't study. The test is identical for ILR and citizenship — you only take it once if you pass before ILR.
English language evidence
ILR applicants must evidence CEFR B1 English — the same level as for the original Skilled Worker visa. If you met the requirement then, your original evidence is still valid. If you used the "degree taught in English" route originally, keep your NARIC Statement of English proficiency — you'll need it again.
If you did not submit English evidence for the original visa (for example if you were a native speaker on a different visa type at the time), you'll need to complete a SELT before applying for ILR. Pay around £150 for IELTS UKVI or equivalent at a Home Office-approved centre.
Good character and absences
ILR applicants must pass a good character test — declaring any UK or overseas criminal records (even spent convictions), civil judgments for fraud, or Home Office-documented immigration breaches. Minor motoring offences (speeding, parking) do not typically cause refusal if declared. Undeclared offences discovered later are a certain refusal.
Absences beyond 180 days in any rolling 12 months break continuous residence and reset the 5-year clock. Limited exceptions apply: serious illness, conflict evacuation, or participating in work travel required by your sponsor. Keep documentary evidence for any extended absence.
Fees and processing
ILR application fee: £3,029 per person (2025). Super-priority service: £800 for a decision within 24 hours. Biometrics enrolment: £19.20. Life in the UK test (if not already passed): £50. English test (if not already submitted): ~£150. Total: around £3,250 per adult for standard, £4,050 for super-priority.
Processing: 6 months standard, 24 hours super-priority. The high fees reflect permanence — once granted, ILR has no expiry (though it can lapse if you spend 2+ continuous years outside the UK after grant). Dependants apply separately, each paying the full fee.
After ILR — the path to citizenship
Once you hold ILR for 12 months, you become eligible to apply for British naturalisation. Requirements: 5 years UK residence (the same years that qualified you for ILR), ILR held for 12 months (or immediately if married to a British citizen for 3+ years), Life in the UK test passed, English B1 evidence, good character, and intention to continue residing in the UK.
Citizenship application fee: £1,500 per adult, £1,300 per child (2025). Timeline: 6 months processing + a citizenship ceremony. You will be invited to a local council ceremony where you take the oath and receive your certificate. You can then apply for a British passport.