Will the UK permanent residence application fee rise to £3,226 in 2026? ILR fee and IHS full solution
After five years, Life in the UK Test has passed, and you finally have to submit your application for permanent residence (ILR). As a result, when I opened the payment page, the numbers jumped a bit compared to last year. Starting from April 8, 2026, the UK Home Office has once again raised its immigration and nationality fees - the permanent residence application fee has increased from £3,029 to £3,226, a one-time extra payment of £197.
This is no small amount. If you’re applying as a family of four, the application fee alone is nearly £13,000. This article explains clearly at once where to pay the latest ILR fees and IHS (medical surcharge) in 2026, and whether the accelerated channel is worth it.
How much will the cost of permanent residence in the UK increase in 2026?
Let’s give the most core numbers first. From on April 8, 2026, the standard application fee for a single person submitting Indefinite Leave to Remain is £3,226. Whether you take the Skilled Worker, Spouse, Global Talent or ten-year Long Residence path, the government fees for this step are basically the same.
📌 List of increases: ILR increased by approximately 6.5% from £3,029 → £3,226. Most visa categories have increased by 6%–7% this time, including Skilled Worker visas, British Naturalization (Naturalisation) and sponsored licences.
There is good news that goes against common sense: the naturalization registration fee for children has been reduced by , from £1,214 to £1,000, a decrease of £214. This is a rare "downward" item in this round of price adjustments. Those with children at home who want to register can pay attention.
Another reminder: does not charge for collecting biometric information (fingerprints and photos). There is no need to pay extra for this step. Don’t be fooled by some intermediaries’ mixed quotations.
Do I need to pay IHS medical surcharge when applying for permanent residence?
This is the most commonly asked and most confusing point. The answer is: At that moment when submits ILR, there is no need to submit IHS. Because permanent residence is a "settlement", you can use NHS for free after you get it, and you no longer need to pay this annual medical surcharge.
But don't be happy too soon. IHS is the money you have to pay for every renewal and every limited-term visa before you get permanent residence , and it is paid in one go for the entire duration of the visa approval. There are no changes to rates in April 2026:
💷 IHS current rate (2026)
Adult standard: £1,035 / year
Students, Youth Mobility, children under 18 and accompanying family members: £776 / year
Health and Care Worker visa owner and family members: Full exemption
Do the math and you'll understand how heavy it is. A Skilled Worker takes a five-year path, and usually has to pay IHS for two visas in the middle. A rough calculation of the medical surcharge alone may exceed £5,000. Therefore, the real "total cost of permanent residence" is never the final bill of £3,226, but the total of visa fees + IHS + final ILR fees for five years, .
Is ILR acceleration channel Super Priority worth £1000?
Standard ILR application, Home Office usually gives results within 6 months after your biometric information is collected. Those who can't wait so long can add money to buy acceleration:
· Super Priority Service: Extra £1,000, results usually next working day. Including the application fee, the total cost per person is approximately £4,226.
Whether it's worth it depends on your specific situation. If you are going abroad in the near future, changing jobs, or buying a house that requires identity verification, the months of waiting you will save may far exceed this £1,000. But there are two pitfalls to be aware of: firstly, places are extremely popular, and Super Priority reservations are often released in the early morning of British time and are taken up within a few minutes; secondly, speeding up does not equal bonus points. If your case materials have flaws or Home Office need to be verified by other departments, it will still be delayed, and the money is usually not refundable.
⚠️ If you are not sure about the materials, don’t rush to buy acceleration. It would be better to spend time sorting out the residence records, days spent outside the country, and salary certificates than to expect to cover the loopholes in the materials "quickly".
Before applying for permanent residence, these 3 things are more important than saving money
Fees are hard costs, but what really makes people wait five years in vain is often not the money but the inaccurate calculation of qualifications. Please check before submitting:
1. Do not exceed the allowed number of days out of the country. Most five-year paths require no more than 180 days of absence in any rolling 12-month period. Note that it is "rolling 12 months", not reset by calendar year - many people fall into this trap.
2. Life in the UK Test and English requirements come first. Most routes in require passing Life in the UK Test and meeting B1 or above English level. I didn't get these two items, and even after I paid, I was rejected.
3. The visa has never been suspended. Each period of ’s continuous legal residence must have a valid identity connection. Even a brief period of "darkness" in the middle may wipe out five years.
In recent years, the cost has only increased but not decreased. The most expensive thing is "getting rejected at the last step and having to do it all over again". On which day will be five years old and which period of departure will exceed the limit? Instead of counting the calendar manually, it is better to use 永居计算器APP to calculate the continuous residence and the 180-day rolling window to the day. If you are unsure about complicated situations, you can also ask our licensed lawyers on WeChat. Don’t let an application worth thousands of pounds be gambled on guesswork.
This article is for reference only. Rates and policies are subject to the latest announcement of GOV.UK. Please consult a licensed immigration lawyer for specific cases.
[data source] GOV.UK: Home Office immigration and nationality fees, 8 April 2026; GOV.UK: Immigration Health Surcharge; GOV.UK: Get a faster decision on your visa or settlement application.
💬 Chat in the comment area: Which permanent residence path did you take (Skilled Worker / Spouse / BNO / Ten Years Long Residence)? Including IHS and visa fees, how much did you spend on your identity in total over the past five years?
Fees are adjusted every year and the rules are changing. If you find it useful, click to save it so that you can check it out at any time to check the latest numbers before submitting.