On 20 November 2025, the Home Secretary delivered a statement in the House of Commons outlining a revised framework for granting settlement to migrants in the UK. The proposal moves the default settlement period from five to ten years and introduces new qualifying criteria: a clean criminal record, English proficiency at A‑level, sustained National Insurance contributions and no outstanding debt. The government is consulting on additional adjustments that could shorten or extend this period for specific groups. For example, those with degree‑level English could qualify in nine years, high‑tax payers in five or three years, and public‑service workers in five years. Partners of British citizens and British Nationals Overseas from Hong Kong would remain eligible after five years, while Windrush and EU Settlement scheme holders would be unchanged. Benefits use, illegal entry and refugee status would also affect the settlement timeline. Settled status holders would not be affected.
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Original source: https://www.gov.uk/
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/a-fairer-pathway-to-settlement
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