ILR fees in 2026 — the full breakdown

The 2026 ILR fee schedule (from 8 April)

Build your own ILR cost estimate

Use the calculator below to model your specific situation — single applicant or family, priority service or standard, whether you've already passed the Life in the UK Test and English language test.

How the fee compares to 2025 and earlier

The ILR application fee has risen steadily for over a decade. Here's the recent trajectory:

• 2020: £2,389
• 2021: £2,389
• 2022: £2,404
• 2023: £2,404
• 2024: £2,885 (+£481, the largest single annual jump)
• 2025: £3,029 (+£144)
• 2026: £3,226 (+£197)

The fee has risen roughly 35% in five years. If the current trajectory continues, ILR will cost around £3,400-£3,500 by April 2027.

What the £3,226 ILR fee buys you

ILR is the most expensive single application in the UK immigration system, and the fee reflects that the resulting status is the most valuable one short of citizenship:

• The right to live and work in the UK indefinitely — no more visa renewals, no more sponsor dependency, no more IHS payments.
• Access to public funds — you can claim benefits like Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, etc., which most visa holders cannot.
• Cheaper university fees — Home fees for university courses are typically a third of international rates. Worth £20,000+ over a 3-year degree.
• The 12-month countdown to citizenship — most ILR holders become eligible to apply for naturalisation 12 months after ILR is granted (or same day if spouse of a British citizen).

Hidden costs the £3,226 doesn't cover

• Document translations — £100-£300 if you have foreign-language documents that need certified translation.
• UKVCAS upgrades — standard appointments at the 6 core service points are free; enhanced service points (private appointment rooms, walk-in slots) cost £50-£100.
• Travel to the biometric appointment — only relevant if you live far from a UKVCAS centre, but easily £50-£100 for someone in the rural north.
• Solicitor fees — entirely optional. £960-£2,500 if you use one. Recommended only for complex cases (gaps in lawful leave, criminal record, complex visa history).

Common cost-saving tactics

• Don't pay for priority unless you need it. The standard processing time used to be 6 months but in practice is often 4-5. Worth £500 only if you have a visa expiring soon, a job offer with a start date, or international travel booked.
• Stagger family applications. If both spouses qualify and the household can't afford £6,500+ in fees at once, the main earner can apply first. The dependent can apply for ILR later (within the validity of their current visa) without losing eligibility.
• Pass Life in the UK Test and SELT before applying. You need both to be valid at the date of application. Some people pay for re-tests because they timed it badly and a test result expired before they submitted — easy to avoid with simple scheduling.
• Use the free core UKVCAS service point if available. Many people pay £50-£100 for enhanced service points without realising the 6 core centres (Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, etc.) offer biometric appointments at no extra cost.

Fee waiver eligibility for ILR

Fee waivers for ILR are narrower than they are for visa extensions but still exist for applicants who can demonstrate genuine destitution — meaning they cannot afford the fee without falling below a basic living standard. The bar is high: you need to show that paying the fee would leave you unable to meet essential needs (food, shelter, utilities).

Fee waivers are most commonly granted on the 10-year private/family life route, less commonly on Skilled Worker or Spouse routes (the assumption being you're earning or your sponsor is). The application is made via the Home Office's fee waiver request form and adds 4-8 weeks to processing time. See the fee waiver guide for the full eligibility criteria.