Standards

Editorial and legal review policy

We publish general planning information with source checks and careful labels. Publication is not a legal opinion or a substitute for case-specific advice.

Before a guide is published

Define the question and the route it concerns, avoiding a generic answer where a route-specific one is required.
Check the current GOV.UK route page, relevant Immigration Rules appendix and applicable official guidance.
Check dates, commencement provisions and transitional wording where a rule has changed.
Write in plain English, separating a confirmed rule from a proposal, estimate or unknown.
Check internal links, calculations and the limits statement before publishing.

Pages carry review dates where the subject is time-sensitive. We also revisit linked guidance after significant official changes. This process improves clarity but does not guarantee that every reader’s facts are captured or that a rule will remain unchanged after publication.

What “reviewed” means

“Reviewed” means the content has undergone our editorial source-checking process. It does not mean that a named solicitor, barrister or immigration adviser has supplied an opinion on the page, and we do not imply otherwise. We do not invent professional endorsements, individual reviewer identities or external approvals.

Some subjects are inherently fact-sensitive: gaps in leave, section 3C timing, criminality, a lengthy absence, relationship evidence, a previous refusal and transitional provisions can change the analysis. In those cases, general guidance should be used to prepare questions for an appropriately regulated adviser, not to decide whether to submit an application.

Current law and future policy

We treat the Immigration Rules and official guidance as the starting point. A policy speech, consultation, press report or social-media claim may be useful context, but it is not reported as an operative requirement until official material identifies an effective date and the people covered. If transition arrangements are not published, we say that they are unknown.

For the sources we use, see primary sources. To flag a possible error, follow our corrections process. ILR Calculator UK is independent, not affiliated with the Home Office, and is not a law firm or regulated immigration advice service.

How calculation changes are released

A rule change that affects a public calculator is treated as both an editorial and software change. We identify the operative source and date, add or amend a boundary case, run the calculation checks, update the explanation shown beside the result, and record the page review date. If the official position is unclear, the calculator should surface that uncertainty rather than silently choose the answer most favourable to the user.