Fees planner · reviewed 17 August 2026
ILR fees: build a reliable application budget
Settlement is expensive, and the main charge is normally paid separately for each applicant. This is a 2026 planning guide, not a payment quote: the route, submission date and services shown in your online application determine the amount due.
Cost table
| Item | Planning figure | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| ILR application | £3,226 each | Main applicant and each dependant making an ILR application. |
| Priority service | £500 extra each | Only when the form offers it. |
| Super priority | £1,000 extra each | Only when the form offers it. |
| Life in the UK Test | £50 per attempt | Where required, not already passed and not exempt. |
| English evidence | Variable | A SELT, degree evidence or another accepted route may be needed. |
| Private preparation | Variable | Translations, travel, scanning and optional advice. |
The figures are taken from the published table, but availability and policy can change. ILR is settlement rather than time-limited immigration permission, so it is not an Immigration Health Surcharge application. Still follow every charge shown in your own official checkout.
Cost scenarios
| Scenario | Calculation | Illustrative total |
|---|---|---|
| One applicant; standard; test already passed | £3,226 | £3,226 before private costs. |
| One applicant; priority; needs Life in the UK | £3,226 + £500 + £50 | £3,776 before English or private costs. |
| Two applicants; standard; one needs the test | (2 × £3,226) + £50 | £6,502 before other costs. |
These are arithmetic examples, not eligibility advice. Before multiplying the fee, establish whether each family member is eligible and applying now. A partner, child or other dependant may have a different qualifying period or route; paying early does not make someone eligible early.
Route examples: identical price, different preparation
- Skilled Worker settlement: budget time for sponsor and employment evidence required under the current rules.
- Partner application on SET(M): the payment does not replace relationship, cohabitation or financial evidence.
- Long residence: a ten-year travel and immigration chronology can be the largest practical preparation task.
- BN(O) household: decide who applies in the same window before calculating the per-person fee.
Priority and super priority
GOV.UK describes priority as a target of within five working days, and super priority as a target by the end of the next working day, where available. The official faster-decision table shows that availability differs across SET(O), SET(M), long-residence, Innovator Founder and BN(O) routes, and can depend on how identity is proved. It is not a service you can assume will appear.
Faster handling does not buy eligibility, repair an evidence gap or guarantee a decision date. A case requiring extra checks can take longer. Do not pay an additional fee merely to submit incomplete evidence faster.
Costs people overlook
- A retake after failing or missing a Life in the UK Test booking.
- An approved English test, Ecctis assessment or replacement degree document.
- Certified translations and the matching original-language documents.
- Passport renewal, travel to a test centre or appointment, scanning and copying.
- Optional regulated legal advice for difficult absences, prior refusals or suitability issues.
- A later citizenship application: ILR does not include naturalisation or a British passport.
Before payment
- Confirm the route, qualifying date and every applicant included.
- Read the GOV.UK ILR overview, route form and current fee table.
- List only genuinely outstanding test and evidence costs; avoid duplicate evidence.
- Keep a contingency for practical expenses, without inventing a future government price.
- Read the live cancellation and refund wording before submitting payment.
Common money mistakes
- Using an old blog price: use the official row with its effective date.
- Assuming dependants are free: the fee table is per main applicant and dependant.
- Booking priority before checking the route: speed does not cure a missing requirement.
- Calling a fee refundable: the outcome depends on circumstances and processing status.
- Automatically adding IHS: distinguish settlement from a time-limited visa.
FAQ
Is £3,226 the official ILR fee?
It is the published standard in-country ILR figure effective from 8 April 2026. Confirm the live amount and any route instruction before paying.
Does each family member pay for priority?
Calculate a faster-service charge for each applicant using it, if the service is offered. Confirm the checkout arrangement rather than assuming one payment covers a family.
Can an employer pay?
That is an employment and contractual matter. It does not change the Home Office application charge or evidence requirements.
Processing times · Documents checklist · Life in the UK Test
Last reviewed: 17 August 2026. Sources: GOV.UK fees table, ILR overview and faster-decision guidance. General information, not legal advice.