ILR calculator: qualifying date and absences check

How the 180-day rule is checked

The Home Office looks at every 12-month window inside your qualifying period, starting on any day. For permission granted on or after 11 January 2018 it is a rolling check, so the question is never “how long was I away this year?” but “what is the most I was away in any 12 months?”

For each trip the calculator counts whole days abroad, leaving out the day you flew out and the day you flew back. It then slides a 12-month window across your qualifying period one day at a time and reports the window with the most days away. If that figure is 180 or less, you meet the absence rule.

Days away on a trip = (return date − departure date) − 1

The period is checked up to your qualifying date, or up to your planned application date if you give one. Caseworkers can count back from the date you apply, any date up to 28 days after it, or the decision date, whichever helps you. That is why you can apply up to 28 days early.

Worked example

What ILR costs

The ILR application fee is £3,226 for each person, including partners and children, from 8 April 2026. It was £3,029 before that. Most adults aged 18 to 64 also need to pass the Life in the UK test (£50) and show English at the required level. A Statement of Changes laid in March 2026 raises the English requirement for settlement to B2 from 26 March 2027.

The 5-year rule above is the law today. The government has consulted on “earned settlement”, which would make 10 years the normal qualifying period for most people and shorter for some. No rules or start date had been published by 25 October 2026. If you are close to your 5 years, find out where the rules stand before you book travel or pay the fee.

What this calculator does not check

It checks dates and the absence limit only. It does not check your salary, your sponsor, English language, the Life in the UK test, criminal record or any other part of the settlement rules. Long Residence (10 years) has its own absence rules for trips before 11 April 2024, which this tool does not apply.

Questions people ask

How many days can I be outside the UK for ILR?

For Skilled Worker and most other work routes, no more than 180 days in any 12-month period during your qualifying period. The Home Office checks every rolling 12 months, not just calendar or visa years, so two long trips either side of New Year can break the limit even if each year looks fine on its own.

Do the days I fly out and fly back count as absences?

No. The Home Office continuous residence guidance counts whole days only, so the day you leave and the day you return are not absences. A trip leaving on 1 January and returning on 10 January is 8 days away.

How early can I apply for ILR?

You can apply up to 28 days before you complete your qualifying period. The calculator shows this date. Applying earlier than that is refused, and the fee is not refunded.

Is ILR changing to 10 years?

Not yet. The government consulted on an “earned settlement” model with a 10-year baseline for most people, and the Home Secretary has said the changes could apply to people already in the UK. As at 25 October 2026 no new rules have been laid, so the 5-year Skilled Worker route still applies. Check the Immigration Rules before you apply.

What if I was outside the UK for more than 180 days because of illness or a crisis?

The guidance lets caseworkers disregard absences caused by a life-threatening illness of you or a close family member, travel disruption from a natural disaster, military conflict or pandemic, and a few other reasons. You need evidence, and each case is judged on its facts. Get advice from a regulated immigration adviser before applying.

Does time on a dependant visa count towards Skilled Worker ILR?

Not towards your own Skilled Worker settlement. GOV.UK says you cannot include time spent in the UK as a partner or child on someone else’s visa. You may be able to settle as their dependant instead.

Sources

1. GOV.UK, ILR for Skilled Worker visa holders: time in the UK
2. Home Office, Continuous residence guidance (version 10.0, 8 October 2026)
3. Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026
4. Electronic Immigration Network, Home Secretary reaffirms earned settlement reforms (9 March 2026)
5. GOV.UK, Higher standard of English now required to settle in the UK

This calculator gives general information, not legal or financial advice. A court, tribunal, the Home Office or the scheme administrator makes the actual decision. Read the disclaimer, and for advice on your own situation speak to a regulated adviser, a solicitor or Citizens Advice.

Related calculators

• Skilled Worker visa cost calculatorVisa fees, health surcharge, sponsorship fee and Skills Charge in one total.
• Immigration Health Surcharge calculatorIHS for adults, children and students, with the part-year rules.
• All immigration calculatorsWork out your ILR qualifying date and absences, the full cost of a Skilled Worker visa, and the Immigration Health Surcharge. Fees from 8 April 2026.