Free UK ILR Calculator: Check Your Settlement Eligibility

Most ILR refusals we see come down to two things: absences that breach the 180-day rolling rule, and applications submitted on the wrong date. This free UK ILR Calculator, built by Conroy Baker Ltd’s IAA-regulated advisers, checks both in under a minute – your continuous residence, your absence position, and your earliest application date under the 28-day rule. Use the tool below, then read our guidance on the traps that catch most applicants.

Important Notice: Use of this Free ILR Calculator
This Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) Calculator is a complimentary online tool provided for informational and preliminary assessment purposes only. The results generated are estimates based solely on the data you enter and are not a guarantee of eligibility for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Read our full legal disclaimer here.

Employers: also see our free UK Sponsorship Cost Calculator.

The free UK ILR Calculator by Conroy Baker checks three things: whether your absences from the UK stay within the 180-day rolling 12-month limit, whether your continuous lawful residence meets the qualifying period for your route (3, 5 or 10 years), and your earliest possible application date under the 28-day early application rule. It covers the Skilled Worker, Spouse/Partner (Appendix FM) and 10-Year Long Residence routes. The result is an estimate, not legal advice – an IAA-regulated adviser should confirm your position before you apply.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is the status that permits you to live, work, and study in the UK without any time limits or immigration restrictions. It is the final step before British Citizenship. However, reaching this goal requires meeting strict criteria, including the continuous residence requirement, the Life in the UK test, and English language proficiency.

Our calculator is a crucial first step, helping you instantly assess the length and legality of your stay. When dealing with the Home Office, certainty is your greatest asset, especially when planning your future in thriving UK cities like London, Birmingham, and Manchester.

The rules on absences from the UK are the primary reason for ILR application refusal. Do not fall into the trap of simply counting your total days out over a five-year period – that methodology is outdated and dangerous.

The Home Office reviews your travel history on a rolling 12-month basis. This means that for any consecutive 12-month period during your qualification time, you must not have spent more than 180 full days outside the UK.

For example: A trip taken from April 2024 to March 2025 might be perfectly fine, but a trip from September 2024 to August 2025 could be the one that breaches the limit. Our expert audit scrutinises your travel log date-by-date to find these hidden dangers, often saving an applicant from a catastrophic refusal.

Getting the timing of your submission wrong, even by a single day, will result in an automatic refusal. The 28-Day Early Rule is a gift from the Home Office, allowing you to submit your application before you officially meet the full continuous residence period.

You are permitted to apply up to 28 calendar days before you complete the required qualifying period (e.g., 5 years or 10 years).

The Formula: Start Date of Qualifying Visa + Required Continuous Period – 28 Days = Earliest Application Date

Using our calculator helps you pinpoint this exact date, ensuring you maintain your lawful immigration status without applying too soon. Remember: while the calculator provides the date, our IAA-regulated advisers confirm that all surrounding requirements – including Life in the UK and English language tests – are secured well in advance.

Indefinite Leave to Remain is not a one-size-fits-all process. Your visa category determines your required continuous period and the evidence you must provide.

The most common path to settlement, typically requiring 5 years of continuous residence.

• The Salary Threshold: You must meet the minimum salary requirement relevant to your specific job code and the prevailing rate, which is subject to frequent change.
• Sponsor Switching: Moving between Skilled Worker sponsors is permitted, but our team ensures all gaps in employment and sponsorship reporting are meticulously documented to maintain the continuity of your lawful presence.
• Permitted Absences: Absences for work purposes, approved by your sponsor, still count toward the 180-day limit, but we can help document the compelling professional need for these trips.

This pathway applies if you have lived in the UK lawfully and continuously for 10 years. This route is notoriously complex due to the volume of history involved and layered rule changes.

• Rule Transition Complexity: Your absences before 11 April 2024 are judged against the old rules (548 days total), while absences after this date fall under the strict rolling 180-day rule. The calculator provides an initial check, but a full legal audit is non-negotiable for this route.
• Addressing Lawful Gaps: Time spent overstaying, no matter how brief, can break continuity. Our experts can advise on whether certain minor gaps may be legally “disregarded” by the Home Office.

This route typically requires 5 years of residence as a Spouse or Partner of a British Citizen or settled person.

• The Financial Requirement: This is often the most challenging element. You must meet the minimum income threshold (£29,000 from spring 2024 onwards, subject to change), using documented evidence from Categories A, B, or C. We eliminate any ambiguity in your financial submission.
• Proving a Genuine Relationship: Settlement requires robust evidence of your “genuine and subsisting” relationship over the entire five-year period – from cohabitation records to shared financial responsibilities.

Important Notice: Use of this Free ILR Calculator
This Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) Calculator is a complimentary online tool provided for informational and preliminary assessment purposes only. The results generated are estimates based solely on the data you enter and are not a guarantee of eligibility for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Conroy Baker Ltd is not liable for any action taken or not taken based on the results provided by this calculator. Immigration law is complex, highly detailed, and subject to frequent rule changes and subjective interpretation by the Home Office. Factors such as criminal history, character requirements, precise compliance with visa conditions, and complex absence exceptions (e.g., COVID-19 concessions or compulsory service) cannot be accurately assessed by any automated tool.

You must always seek professional, tailored legal advice from an IAA-regulated immigration adviser before submitting any application to the Home Office. By using this tool, you acknowledge this disclaimer and understand that no adviser–client relationship is created.