British citizenship
What is changing for settlement and citizenship
Rules change often and rumours faster. Here is the state of play on 25 October 2026, separating what is in force, what is scheduled and what is only proposed.
Which English level applies to me?
Level
B1
| Citizenship | B1, unchanged |
| Settlement from | 26 March 2027: B2 on many routes |
| Source | HC 1691, 5 March 2026 |
On 25 October 2026 the conditions for naturalisation are those of Guide AN (July 2026) and the nationality guidance version 16.0: 5 years' residence on the standard route, 450 days abroad at most, settlement held for 12 months, the Life in the UK Test and English at B1. Two changes are coming and should not be confused. The first is scheduled: under HC 1691, laid on 5 March 2026, settlement applications on many routes will need English at B2 from 26 March 2027, while citizenship stays at B1. The second is only proposed: the "earned settlement" consultation, opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026, would end settlement as an automatic step after a fixed period and require migrants to earn it through conduct, contribution and integration. No final rules from it were in force on 25 October 2026. Meanwhile the fees table of 8 October 2026 kept naturalisation at £1,709, the ceremony at £130 and ILR at £3,226.
When can I apply after getting ILR?
Settlement wait ends
2 March 2027
| Wait after ILR | 12 months |
| Also needed | 5 years, at most 450 days away |
| ILR fee (if not yet paid) | £3,226 |
Questions, dates and fees by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
In force, scheduled, proposed
| Change | Status on 25 October 2026 | Who it affects |
|---|---|---|
| Fees table of 8 October 2026 | in force; nationality and ILR fees unchanged | everyone applying |
| BRP destroyed after the ceremony (Guide AN) | in force since 23 April 2026 | new citizens |
| Expired BRP accepted as ID or evidence | only until 31 December 2026, and within 24 months of expiry | test candidates, applicants |
| LanguageCert four-skill ESOL SELT replaced | since 6 July 2025; old results valid 2 years | English test takers |
| English B2 for settlement (HC 1691) | scheduled from 26 March 2027 | settlement applicants on many routes |
| Earned settlement | consultation closed 12 February 2026; no final rules | future settlement applicants |
The tool at the top shows which English level applies to an application on a given date. The one below shows when you can apply for citizenship after settlement under today's rules.
Earned settlement: what is actually known
The Home Office consultation page summarises the idea in three sentences. Settlement, also known as indefinite leave to remain, is the right to live in the UK permanently without immigration restrictions. The 2025 Immigration White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System, introduced significant reforms to how migrants can settle. Settlement would no longer be granted automatically after a fixed period; migrants would need to earn it by demonstrating sustained good conduct, contribution and integration.
Beyond that, details reported in the press are proposals until rules are laid before Parliament. We will update this page when they are. Two practical points follow. First, the consultation is about how settlement will be earned in future; whether anything would change for people already settled depends on rules that have not been written. Second, because citizenship normally requires settlement first, any longer path to settlement would push back citizenship dates for those not yet settled, even if the naturalisation rules themselves did not change.
What stays the same for citizenship
- The two routes: 5 years (section 6(1)) and 3 years for spouses and civil partners (section 6(2)).
- The absence limits and the discretion bands in the nationality guidance.
- English at B1 in speaking and listening, with the same alternatives (degree, listed nationality, exemptions).
- The Life in the UK Test: format, pass mark and handbook.
- A decision usually within 6 months, priority within 30 working days for £500.
What to do now
If you already qualify for citizenship, nothing announced so far is a reason to wait, and the date calculator shows your first day. If you are working towards settlement, check whether your ILR application will fall before or after 26 March 2027 and whether your route is one the B2 rule covers; the B2 page has worked cases. Keep an eye on the earned settlement proposals, but plan on the rules that exist. When rules do change, the Home Office publishes a statement of changes with a start date, as it did with HC 1691, and its wording says which applications the change covers, usually by the date they are made. Our tools apply the rules in force on the date you enter. Guide AN itself shows how rules shift: its July 2026 edition notes that the citizenship ban introduced by the Illegal Migration Act 2023 never took effect, after regulations of 23 July 2024.