Accredited official statistics

How many Indefinite Leave to Remain (Settlement and EUSS settled status) and Citizenship grants have been issued in the UK?

Published 21 May 2026

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This release goes up to the year ending (YE) March 2026. The “year ending” period includes the 12 months up to and including the YE month. For example, YE March 2026 includes the 12 months between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026. All comparisons are with the YE March 2025 (unless indicated otherwise).

1. Indefinite Leave

Indefinite Leave is an immigration status that allows a person to live, work and study in the UK without any time limit on their stay.

Indefinite Leave to Enter or Remain (ILE/ILR) is also known as ‘settlement’. Most settlement grants are typically issued to individuals who have completed the required qualifying period on an eligible immigration route and meet the relevant eligibility criteria (for example, 5 years under many work or family routes, or 10 years under the long residence route). Indefinite Leave is also granted to individuals under the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), where it is referred to as ‘settled status’.

Indefinite leave grant volumes have been strongly influenced by the introduction and rollout of the EUSS. EUSS settled status grants peaked in 2020 and, although volumes have fallen substantially since then, they have remained relatively stable in more recent years, averaging just over 333,000 grants per year, between 2023 and 2026. By contrast, settlement grants under other immigration routes have historically accounted for a much smaller share of indefinite leave grants, although volumes generally increased between 2018 and 2025.

In the YE March 2026, there were a total of 524,991 grants of indefinite leave, a 4% increase compared with the YE March 2025. Of these, 71% (370,535) were settled status grants under the EUSS, 29% (152,306) were settlement grants under other immigration routes, and fewer than 1% were immediate settlement (family) grants. Over the past 3 years, indefinite leave grants have increased overall, driven largely by growing numbers of individuals becoming eligible for settled status, who previously held pre-settled status under the EUSS, alongside rising settlement grants. However, settlement grant volumes declined slightly in the latest year.

Table 1: Number of grants issued for Settlement, EUSS settled status and Immediate settlement, YE March 2017 to YE March 2026

Indefinite Leave (YE March)	Settlement	EUSS settled status	Immediate settlement (Family)	Total
2017	58,559	z	3,218	61,777
2018	72,714	z	2,604	75,318
2019	89,770	141,654	2,293	233,717
2020	92,984	1,676,647	2,498	1,772,129
2021	95,180	805,268	1,365	901,813
2022	113,401	577,868	1,619	692,888
2023	124,530	300,276	2,255	427,061
2024	127,938	329,164	2,644	459,746
2025	170,237	331,342	3,030	504,609
2026	152,306	370,535	2,150	524,991

Source: Table EUSS_QTR, EU Settlement Scheme summary tables, YE March 2026, Settlement dataset - Se_D02 and Entry Clearance dataset - Vis_D02.

Notes:

1. EUSS was launched on 28 August 2018 and became fully operational on 30 March 2019. The total for grants of settled status includes an estimate of automated EUSS settled status grants of 103,820, of which 100,300 are included in the YE March 2026 figure.
2. z = not applicable

Figure 1: Grants of Indefinite Leave in the UK, YE March 2012 to YE March 2026

Source: Table EUSS_QTR, EU Settlement Scheme summary tables, YE March 2026, Settlement dataset - Se_D02 and Entry Clearance dataset - Vis_D02.

2. Settlement

‘Settlement’ is the general term for being granted indefinite leave to enter or remain (ILE/ILR) in the UK. It gives people the right to stay in the UK permanently and, where eligible, apply for citizenship. Statistics on the EUSS are reported separately in Section 3 due to the distinct rights, conditions and legislative framework of the route. The number of people granted settlement each year will reflect the number of migrants coming to the UK in earlier years, and the policies regarding the qualifying period required to live in the UK before becoming eligible.

Settlement grants fell in the YE March 2026. This was driven by fewer arrivals on family routes and a reduced volume of protection based grants during the COVID 19 pandemic in 2020, which lowered the number of individuals eligible for settlement in the latest year.

Figure 2: Grants of ‘settlement’ (ILE/ILR) in the UK, by leave type ^1,2,3, YE March 2012 to YE March 2026

Source: Settlement - Se_D02

Notes:

1. ‘Leave type’ relates to type of leave to enter or remain in the UK held immediately prior to being granted ‘settlement’.
2. The category ‘Other’ includes grants based on Long Residence, Private Life, BN(O) routes and grants on a discretionary basis. It also includes a few cases where the category of leave immediately prior to the grant of settlement has not been recorded.
3. The ‘Refugee’ category refers to individuals granted ‘settlement’ in the UK following a period of residence after being recognised as refugees or receiving another form of protection, such as exceptional leave, humanitarian protection, or discretionary leave.

In the YE March 2026, there were 152,306 settlement grants, an 11% decrease from the YE March 2025. While settlement grants generally increased between 2018 and 2025, the decline in the YE March 2026 reflects fewer people with leave on family routes and fewer individuals holding refugee status (or other protection-based leave) being granted settlement.

Family

Family-related settlement decreased by 22% to 36,202 in the YE March 2026, with most grants issued to individuals who held a Partner visa as their most recent leave. Family related settlement was most common among Pakistani nationals (6,688), followed by Indian (3,195) and Nigerian (2,535) nationals.

The Migrant Journey: 2025 report shows that a large proportion of individuals arriving in the UK on a family visa are granted settlement after 5 years; just under half (46%) of those arriving in 2020 had been granted settlement by 2025. Entry clearance grants for Family visas fell by around a third in 2020, largely due to the operational impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As many family migrants follow a 5-year route to settlement, the decline in settlement grants in 2025 (which largely comprises the YE March 2026) is consistent with reduced entry clearance volumes 5 years earlier.

Refugee status (or other protection-based leave)

Settlement granted to individuals with Refugee status (or other protection-based leave) declined to 19,960 in the YE March 2026, representing a fall of over 50% compared with the YE March 2025. This reflects lower numbers of protection grants made in 2020, when disruption during the COVID 19 pandemic led to fewer decisions. Current settlement volumes broadly mirror these lower grant levels.

Although Refugee Family Reunion grants are recorded under the ‘Family’ category in the entry clearance data tables, see - Why do people come to the UK - Family?; individuals granted settlement who previously held leave under this route are categorised under refugee or protection-based settlement. Refugee Family Reunion grants fell by over a third in 2020, likely contributing further to lower settlement volumes in the latest year.

Iranian nationals were granted the highest number of Refugee status (or other protection-based leave) settlement grants in the YE March 2026 (3,701), followed by Eritrean nationals (1,928). Additionally, there were 1,904 grants to Syrian nationals, despite settlement decision making for Syrian nationals being paused during part of 2025, following the fall of the Assad regime.

Work

By contrast, work-related settlement grants increased by 7% to 67,699 in the YE March 2026. The Skilled Worker route remained the most common previous leave among those granted settlement, accounting for over three-quarters of all work-related grants. The 53,203 Skilled Worker grants represented a 7% increase compared with the YE March 2025. Growth in work-related settlement was also driven by a higher volume of grants to individuals who previously held leave on a high-value work route, (up 23% to 6,751), or under a European Community Association Agreement (ECAA) route, which applies largely to Turkish nationals and allows individuals to work or establish businesses in the UK, (up 6% to 4,638).

Indian nationals were granted the highest number of work related settlement grants (21,696), followed by Turkish (5,395) and Nigerian (5,105) nationals. Growth for Indian and Nigerian nationals was driven by increased settlement following Skilled Worker leave, while grants to Turkish nationals primarily reflected settlement after ECAA leave.

Other

Settlement grants within the ‘Other’ category, covering individuals whose most recent leave was not under Work, Asylum, or Family routes, increased by 63% to 28,445 in the YE March 2026. This growth was driven primarily by higher settlement volumes under the British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) route, with 8,682 grants issued. The BN(O) route, launched on 31 January 2021, enables eligible BN(O) status holders and their family members from Hong Kong to live, work and study in the UK, providing a pathway to settlement. The recent increase largely reflects the first cohorts who entered the UK on this route in 2021, becoming eligible to apply for settlement.

Other settlement grants includes individuals granted settlement under the Long Residence provision, which allows those who have lived lawfully in the UK for a sustained period, typically at least 10 years, to apply for settlement. A further 3,780 grants were issued under the Private Life route, which permits individuals to remain in the UK based on long term residence or compelling personal circumstances where removal would disproportionately interfere with their Article 8 rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Within the ‘Other’ category, the highest numbers of settlement grants were recorded for Hong Kong (5,693) and China (4,436) nationalities, largely reflecting individuals who held leave under the British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) route prior to settlement.

Figure 3: Grants of ‘settlement’ (ILE/ILR) in the UK, by nationality, YE March 2026 ^1,2,3

Source: Settlement - Se_D02

Notes:

1. ‘Leave type’ relates to type of leave to enter or remain in the UK held immediately prior to being granted ‘settlement’.
2. The category ‘Other’ includes grants based on Long Residence, Private Life, BN(O) routes and grants on a discretionary basis. It also includes a few cases where the category of leave immediately prior to the grant of settlement has not been recorded.
3. The ‘Refugee’ category refers to individuals granted ‘settlement’ in the UK following a period of residence after being recognised as refugees or receiving another form of protection, such as exceptional leave, humanitarian protection, or discretionary leave.

Immediate settlement (Family)

Individuals may be granted immediate ILE/ILR under the Family route, typically where an applicant is applying from outside the UK based on their relationship to a person who is already settled in the UK or is a British citizen, with the intention of settling in the UK. In the YE March 2026, there were 2,150 immediate settlement grants, 29% decrease from the YE March 2025, and of which 84% (1,809) were issued to children.

Further information about immediate settlement can be found in the ‘Why do people come to the UK – Family?’ topic, and table Vis_D02, Entry Clearance dataset.

3. EU Settlement Scheme

The EUSS enables EU, other European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss citizens who were resident in the UK before the end of the post-EU exit transition period at 11pm on 31 December 2020, as well as their family members, to obtain permission to remain in the UK. The scheme was launched on 28 August 2018 and became fully operational on 30 March 2019.

The deadline for most people to apply to the EUSS was 30 June 2021, but certain family members can apply after that to join an EU, other EEA or Swiss citizen in the UK. The deadline for joining family members is generally 3 months after their arrival. In both cases, late applications may be accepted where there are reasonable grounds for the delay.

Individuals who were resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 but had not yet lived here for 5 years are generally granted pre-settled status (leave to enter or remain). Pre-settled status may also be granted to joining family members. Individuals granted pre-settled status can apply for settled status once they have completed the relevant qualifying period of residence, usually 5 years. There is no deadline for such applications. Further data on pre-settled status grants can also be found in the published data tables. More information on the scheme can be found on the EU Settlement Scheme webpage.

3.1 Overview

Since the scheme was launched in 2018, 4.5 million settled status grants have been issued.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of settled status grants were issued before the 30 June 2021 deadline. Since the YE March 2023, the number of settled status grants has averaged 333,000 each year, mostly to those who previously held pre-settled status. From January 2025, some pre-settled status holders meeting relevant criteria may be granted settled status automatically, without submitting a further application. These are reported as automated grants of settled status and are included in the total.

As of 31 March 2026, an estimated 1.3 million people held pre-settled status, though this figure does not necessarily reflect the current resident population, as some may have left the UK. For further information, refer to the ‘Note on the difference between ONS population estimates by nationality and Home Office EU Settlement Scheme statistics’.

In the YE March 2026, there were 370,535 grants of EUSS settled status, up 12% from the YE March 2025. Settled status grant volumes have increased over the past 3 years as growing numbers of individuals previously holding pre settled status have become eligible for settled status. However, these volumes remain well below the peak of 1.7 million observed in 2020.

Figure 4: Total number of EUSS settled status grants, 28 August 2018 to 31 March 2026

Source: Table EUSS_QTR, EU Settlement Scheme summary tables, YE March 2026

3.2 What types of application have been granted settled status since the 30 June 2021 deadline?

Figure 5: Total proportion of EUSS settled status grants by application type, YE March 2023 to YE March 2026

Source: Table EUSS_POST_30_JUNE, EU Settlement Scheme summary tables, YE March 2026

Notes:

1. Derivative rights conclusions account for less than 1% of all settled status grants per year.
2. Automated grants exclude 260 applicants for whom a decision date could not be calculated.

The deadline to apply to the EUSS, for those who were resident in the UK by the end of the EU exit transition period (31 December 2020), was 30 June 2021. Certain applications can be made beyond the 30 June 2021 deadline. Since that date, there have been just under 1.5 million grants of settled status.

Repeat applications

In the YE March 2026, 228,325 settled status grants were issued to repeat applicants (individuals who have applied to the scheme more than once), a fall of 21% from the YE March 2025. Most grants categorised as ‘repeat applications’ are issued to people switching from pre-settled status to settled status. In part, the fall in repeat applications for settled status reflects the introduction of EUSS automation, where some eligible pre-settled status holders may be granted settled status automatically, without needing to submit a further application.

Automated grants of settled status

From January 2025, pre-settled status holders meeting relevant criteria may be granted settled status automatically, without submitting a further application. These are reported as automated grants of settled status. Since the introduction of automated grants, an estimated 103,820 individuals have been granted settled status automatically.

Late applications

Late applications may be accepted where there are reasonable grounds for a delay in applying. This includes some applicants who have made a repeat application post-deadline and subsequently gained pre-settled or settled status. In the YE March 2026, 25,316 late applications resulted in a grant of settled status, with the volume remaining similar to the YE March 2025. However, decisions made in the YE March 2026 will also include applications submitted in earlier years.

Joining family members

Close family members are eligible to apply to the EUSS as the relevant family member of an EU, other EEA, or Swiss citizen who was resident in the UK before the end of the transition period (and who generally holds EUSS status), provided the relationship existed on 31 December 2020 (unless the person is a child, and born or adopted since then) and the relationship continues to exist at the date of application.

In the YE March 2026, there were 14,622 grants of settled status for joining family members, an increase of 83% compared to the YE March 2025, and close to the peak of 14,787 in the YE March 2023. This increase reflects higher volumes of joining family members who were granted pre-settled status in 2021 and have become eligible for settled status. Further information regarding joining family members can be found in the EUSS section of the Immigration system statistics user guide.

Derivative Rights

This refers to applicants who did not qualify for a right of residence under the Free Movement Directive but may have had a right to reside in the UK under other provisions of EU law prior to the end of the transition period.

In the YE March 2026, there were 1,726 settled status grants issued to those with a derivative right to reside in the UK, a 23% increase from the YE March 2025. Further information regarding derivative rights can be found in the EUSS section of the Immigration system statistics user guide and the EUSS data tables.

Figure 6: Applicants transitioning from EUSS pre-settled to settled status, 28 August 2018 to 31 March 2026

Source: Table EUSS_QTR, EU Settlement Scheme summary tables, YE March 2026

Figure 6 shows that an estimated 1.5 million individuals have transitioned from pre-settled to settled status since the scheme began. This includes individuals who have applied for settled status and those who have been automatically converted without an application. Transitions from pre‑settled to settled status have generally risen since the scheme’s launch.

4. Citizenship

People with British citizenship have the right to live and work in the UK without any immigration control and can apply for a British passport. British citizenship is defined by the British Nationality Act 1981. People may be eligible for British citizenship (or ‘naturalisation’) for several reasons. Further details on the eligibility to apply for British citizenship can be found on GOV.UK.

While citizenship grants have decreased in the YE March 2026, they remain high, mainly comprising individuals naturalising following a previous grant of indefinite leave to remain.

Figure 7: Grants of citizenship in the UK, by application type, YE March 2012 to YE March 2026

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets - Cit_D02

In the YE March 2026, there were 236,512 grants of British citizenship, representing a 12% decrease compared with the YE March 2025. Despite this fall, the total remained at the second highest level recorded within the data since 2005 (when the time-series began).

Naturalisation is the process by which a non-British adult may acquire British citizenship following a qualifying period of lawful residence in the UK, and after being granted indefinite leave. It also provides a route to British citizenship for individuals granted settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme and individuals granted pre-settled status who have automatically acquired a permanent right of residence.

In the YE March 2026, there were 165,429 grants of citizenship through naturalisation, a decrease of 14% compared with the YE March 2025. Despite this decline, the latest annual figure remains over 40% higher than the average annual number of grants observed in the decade preceding 2020 (2010 to 2019). The longer-term increase reflects higher numbers of individuals granted indefinite leave to remain who subsequently went on to apply for British citizenship.

Registration enables individuals, through either a legal entitlement or a discretionary process, to acquire British citizenship. This route is most frequently used by children, or those with a defined connection to the United Kingdom, or its overseas territories.

In the YE March 2026, there were 71,083 grants of British citizenship through registration, a 7% fall from the YE March 2025.

Figure 8: Citizenship grants, YE March 2012 to YE March 2026, by EU and non-EU applicants

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets - Cit_D02

In the YE March 2026, there were 177,674 grants to non-EU nationals, a 16% fall from 211,826 in the YE March 2025. This decline marks a clear break in the sustained upward trend in citizenship grants observed since 2020. India, Pakistan and Nigeria are consistently among the highest nationalities for British citizenship grants, accounting for 30% of all grants to non-EU nationals.

There were 58,838 grants to EU nationals, a 3% increase from the YE March 2025, with numbers remaining higher than pre-2016 levels (see Figure 8). Italian nationals were the most common EU nationality granted British citizenship in the YE March 2026 (11,662). Romanian and Polish nationals, alongside Italian nationals, form the top 3 EU nationalities granted British citizenship in the YE March 2026 and have accounted for over 40% of all grants of citizenship to this group since 2012.

EU nationals benefited from free movement when the United Kingdom was a member of the European Union, which reduced the incentive to acquire British citizenship during that time. The subsequent rise in grants to EU nationals followed the announcement of the UK’s departure from the EU in 2016, and later, the introduction of the EUSS from 2018. The scheme enables eligible EU nationals to obtain settled status or to automatically acquire a permanent right to reside whilst holding pre-settled status and, after typically holding that status or right for 12 months, to qualify for citizenship.

Figure 9: Top 10 nationalities for citizenship grants, by application type group, YE March 2026

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets - Cit_D02

British citizenship was granted to individuals originating from almost 200 countries in the YE March 2026. Figure 9 shows that the top 3 nationalities were India, Pakistan and Nigeria. Grants to these nationalities accounted for almost a quarter of all grants of citizenship during this period.

Grants by reason and refusals of British citizenship can be found in the Citizenship summary tables.

5. About these statistics

The underlying casework systems on which this data is based are undergoing a process of change and therefore the published numbers may change in future quarters. In some cases, data will be unavailable. For more information see section 2.7 of the user guide.

Since May 2022, EUSS statistics have been classified as Official Statistics. Most figures are unrounded, except for estimated repeat applications.

From November 2025, the ‘How many people are granted settlement or citizenship?’ and ‘How many grants of settlement are made via the EU Settlement Scheme?’ topics have been consolidated, to bring together the account of indefinite leave in the UK.

Indefinite leave to enter or remain can be granted to individuals – subject to immigration control – to allow them to live, work, study and travel into and out of the UK without restriction. To be granted indefinite leave to remain, individuals generally must have lived in the UK for a certain length of time in a qualifying category. Those granted indefinite leave to enter or remain can access state benefits and register their UK-born children as British citizens. It does not entitle the individual to a British passport (which requires British citizenship) or to vote in a general election (which requires British, Commonwealth, or Irish Republic citizenship).

5.1 Settlement

Settlement is the general term for a person being granted indefinite leave to enter or remain (ILE/ILR) in the UK. It applies across a range of immigration routes, including Work, Family, Protection and Long Residence, and means the individual no longer has time limits on their stay, can access services on the same basis as British citizens, and may be eligible to apply for citizenship. In Section 2, settlement under the EUSS is excluded, as the EUSS operates as a distinct route with its own rights, instead, allotted its own focus in Section 3.

The statistics in this section show the number of grants and refusals on applications for indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK. They take account of the outcomes of reconsiderations and appeals.

5.2 EU Settlement Scheme

The publication includes all EUSS decisions from 28 August 2018 to 31 March 2026, including those of repeat applications, as individuals move from pre-settled to settled status. Each decision is recorded separately, as casework systems do not contain a single identifier to track individuals across multiple applications. Probabilistic data matching has been developed to estimate the total number of unique applicants and their outcomes.

While most applicants are EU, other EEA, or Swiss nationals, some non-EEA national family members are also included. Applications may also be made by eligible individuals living outside the UK, and individuals may still hold EUSS status despite having left the UK. Therefore, these figures are not directly comparable with UK resident population estimates, which do not reflect migration intentions.

Provisional data on 103,820 automated grants of settled status up to 31 March 2026 is included in the topic narrative and charts but is not yet included in the published data tables. Work is ongoing to integrate these grants into future revisions of the summary and detailed tables.

5.3 Citizenship

British citizens can live and work in the UK free of any immigration controls. They can apply for a British passport, register to vote in all forms of election and referenda, and share in all the other rights and responsibilities of their status.

Naturalisation and Registration are legal processes through which an adult or a child can become a British citizen and obtain the same rights and privileges as someone who was born a British national. Dual citizenship (also known as dual nationality) is allowed in the UK. This means people can be both a British citizen and a citizen of other countries. Further details on these legal processes can be found in the user guide.

If someone is not already a British citizen based on where and when they were born, or their parents’ circumstances, they can apply to become one.

The statistics in this section show the number of applications and grants for British citizenship.

In May 2026, the Home Office published the Migrant Journey: 2025 report, which explores changes in migrants’ visa and leave status as they journey through the UK’s immigration system.

6. Data tables

Data referred to here can be found in the following tables:

• Settlement summary tables
• Detailed settlement datasets
• Citizenship summary tables
• Detailed citizenship datasets
• Entry clearance summary tables
• Entry clearance datasets
• EU Settlement Scheme – summary tables
• EU Settlement Scheme – local authority summary tables
• EU Settlement Scheme – detailed tables

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