ILR in Parliament: what’s happening now and what comes next (February 2026)
Key takeaways
- Parliament is scrutinising the government’s earned‑settlement consultation through evidence sessions and a Westminster Hall debate in early February 2026.
- Changes would increase time on temporary permission, renewals and fees, compounding uncertainty for family planning, housing and citizenship routes.
- Consultation proposes ‘earned’ settlement: longer standard routes, stratified qualifying periods by earnings, and tougher English and integration requirements.
- Consultation closes 12 February 2026. Government analysis follows, and the earliest indicated rule changes may begin in April 2026.
- The proposals primarily affect migrant families, children and medium‑skilled workers, especially those currently building time towards settlement.
The system for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), often referred to as “settlement,” is currently undergoing parliamentary review. This is due to a government consultation proposing a major overhaul, characterised as a move toward an “earned settlement” model.
The core idea is that settlement would become less of a standard time-based entitlement and more of a system where the qualifying period and conditions vary depending on factors such as earnings, work history and integration requirements.
The ILR status significantly impacts an individual’s life planning, affecting their ability to establish family life, pursue career advancement, switch jobs, secure housing and credit, and ultimately qualify for British citizenship.
Below is the up-to-date overview of what is happening now and what to expect next.
The most recent parliamentary discussion: 3 February 2026 (Routes to Settlement – oral evidence)
On Tuesday 3 February 2026, the Home Affairs Committee held an oral evidence session as part of its inquiry into “Routes to Settlement”. The session was explicitly framed around the question of how settlement reforms would impact:
- Children and young people in migrant families, and
- “Medium-skilled” workers and the labour market.
In practical terms, the committee focused on the downstream consequences of extending time on temporary permission and tightening settlement conditions.
What MPs were probing in this evidence session can be summarised as:
- Children’s stability and integration: What happens to children’s outcomes if families are required to spend many more years on temporary status, with repeated renewals and uncertainty?
- Risks of hardship: How longer temporary status interacts with household income, fees, and restrictions that often apply to people who have not yet reached settlement.
- Medium-skilled” workforces: Whether extending settlement timelines makes it harder to recruit and retain staff in sectors already under pressure, and whether it inadvertently increases dependency on employers and vulnerability to exploitation.
This matters because it shows Parliament’s scrutiny is moving beyond the headline “5 years versus 10 years” and into real-world impacts on children, family life, and employment rights.
The Westminster Hall debate that set the tone: 2 February 2026 (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
A day earlier, on 2 February 2026, MPs held a Westminster Hall debate on ILR that was driven by two major e-petitions. The debate crystallised the public and political divide around the reform narrative:
- One side argues strongly against a shift to a 10-year route and raises concerns about fairness, stability and “moving the goalposts” for people who planned around existing rules.
- Another side argues that the 5-year route should remain but that access to benefits and public funds should be restricted or delayed.
Westminster Hall debates do not usually end with a binding vote forcing policy change, but they are politically important. They create a formal parliamentary record of concerns and compel ministers to address the arguments publicly.
A consistent theme in the debate was the question of whether changes should apply to people already in the UK who are building time toward settlement under current expectations. That “transitional arrangements” issue remains one of the most sensitive points in the entire proposal.
What is actually being proposed: the “earned settlement” direction of travel
The current consultation describes settlement as something migrants would “earn” through contribution and integration, rather than something automatically available after a set period for most routes.
Based on the published parliamentary briefing material and the consultation framing, the main policy direction being discussed includes:
- A move toward a longer standard qualifying period for settlement (often expressed as shifting many people from 5 years to 10 years).
- A more stratified system where some groups might qualify sooner and others later, depending on factors such as earnings and work patterns.
- Higher expectations around English language and other integration-style requirements.
- A major debate around benefits and public funds: the consultation discussion includes whether eligibility for public funds should change, potentially even at the point of settlement.
The practical effect, if implemented broadly as described, would likely be more time spent on temporary permission, more renewals, more cumulative fees and compliance requirements, and longer periods of uncertainty for families and workers.
What will be discussed next
The Home Affairs Committee inquiry is ongoing. After the 3 February session, further evidence and analysis can be expected, particularly on:
- The impact on children and young people,
- The labour market implications (especially for sectors like social care), and
- The fairness and workability of transitional arrangements.
The earned settlement consultation is due to close on 12 February 2026. After that, officials will analyse responses and the Government will indicate its final policy approach.
The key dates to keep in mind
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| 3 February 2026 | Home Affairs Committee oral evidence session on Routes to Settlement (most recent parliamentary discussion you asked about). |
| 12 February 2026 | Сonsultation closing date (the most concrete milestone currently on the calendar). |
| April 2026 | The earliest change window that has been indicated in parliamentary briefing material, described as the point from which immigration rules may begin to change, subject to the final outcome of the consultation. |
