- The Home Office recorded 199,628 settlement grants in the year ending June 2026, the highest total since 2011.
- Work routes and BN(O) visa holders drove the increase, with 80,409 work-route grants and 38,373 BN(O) grants.
- The wider settlement count reached 537,698, while ministers still consult on extending qualifying periods from five to ten years.
The Home Office recorded 199,628 settlement grants in the year ending June 2026, according to immigration statistics published on 27 August 2026. That was up 24% from 161,585 a year earlier. It was the highest annual total since the year ending June 2011.
Work routes led the climb. People whose most recent leave was on a work route kept crossing the settlement threshold as their qualifying periods ended. British National (Overseas) visa holders were also reaching eligibility in greater numbers. The surge came from both paths at once.
The BN(O) route began in January 2021. Five years are required. Residence must be continuous. That calendar now shows up in the totals.
The Home Office put the rise in writing.
“Settlement grants in the YE June 2026 were at the highest level since 2011, reflecting an increased number of grants to Work and British Nationals (Overseas) (BN(O)) visa holders.”
“In the YE June 2026, there were 199,628 settlement grants, up 24% from the 161,585 issued in the YE June 2025.”
The wider settlement tally was larger still. When EUSS settled status and immediate family settlement were counted, the total reached 537,698. Settlement grants cover one part of the system. The broader count adds other routes.
Work routes and BN(O) visas carried the rise
| Category | Year ending June 2026 | Change | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Settlement grants | 199,628 | 24% | Highest annual total since the year ending June 2011 |
| Work-route settlement grants | 80,409 | 36% | Most recent leave was on a work route |
| BN(O) settlement grants | 38,373 | from 587 | Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders |
| Indian national settlement grants | 35,384 | 51% | Nationality figure |
The work and BN(O) routes are different doors. Both are maturing now. That is why the increase spread across more than one route. It was not a single-line jump.
Longer qualifying waits are still under consultation
The figures also landed as the government kept consulting on longer qualifying periods for many work migrants. One proposal would stretch the standard route from 5 years to 10 years. It was still in consultation. It was not yet in force.
That debate sits beside the current rules. Settlement is the UK term for indefinite leave to remain. It gives the right to live in the UK without time restrictions. The 10-year proposal remains in consultation.
