ILR Can the fee be waived? Eligibility criteria and list of required documents

General work permit, spouse, and ten-year long-term residency applications usually cannot apply for Fee Waiver (fee exemption) solely based on low income; whether the fee can be waived depends on whether there is a specific basis for this application.

ILR Whether to exempt depends on the application category

As of October 12, 2026, the application fee for the UK settlement standard is £3,226, according to the charging schedule applicable from Home Office on April 8, 2026. For people cutting down on family expenses, this amount does require careful planning. When checking for exemptions, first take out the current approval letter, confirm the application category, and then check whether the one being submitted is Settlement (settlement) or Permission to stay (limited stay). These two English names often appear on similar pages, but the scope of fee exemptions needs to be checked separately.

Previously, the renewal was free, but this cannot be used to exempt the budget for this permanent residency application.

Home Office"Fee Waiver: Applications Based on Human Rights and Other Specified Categories" lists common categories, which refer to applications for limited stay related to family life, private life, etc. There are also boundaries for the five-year partner route: this guidance covers applications where the sponsor receives designated disability or care-related benefits, and therefore the minimum income threshold does not apply. Ordinary work permit permanent residency, ten-year long-term residency, cannot enter this exemption process by simply submitting a family income and expenditure statement; ordinary spouse permanent residency also does not have a general low-income exemption.

If victims of domestic violence meet the criteria for the specific permanent residency route, they may also request to be exempt from the requirement by providing evidence that they are unable to afford basic living expenses; widowed partners have another set of specific regulations.

When applying for a child, you also need to separate the nationality registration and permanent residency. The UK government's "Get a citizenship application fee waiver if you’re under 18" provides fee waivers for those under 18 who are eligible for UK nationality applications, and it checks the financial capacity of the child and their parents or guardians. It cannot be used for the permanent residency form based on age alone. When organizing documents for the family, you can list each applicant in a separate line, indicating the name of this application, the corresponding fee item, and the basis for the exemption, then specify whose financial documents need to be attached. An adult qualifying for a certain exemption cannot automatically make decisions for another application.

When a family applies for the special exemption for widows, some documents can be shared, but the materials need to explain why each applicant meets the eligibility criteria.

Exemptions after widowhood have specific criteria

Taking the application of a widowed person within the country as an example, the current "Immigration Rules" Appendix Bereaved Partner BP 4.1 requires verification of the current or most recently approved visa category. BP 6.1 to 6.2 also require checking the relationship between the deceased and this visa, as well as whether the partner relationship was genuine and continuous before the death. It is common for the applicant to hold a qualifying family partner visa, with the partner being a British citizen or settled person. A mere death certificate of the partner cannot replace these identity conditions; when the applicant holds another category of visa, additional relevant basis needs to be checked.

My judgment is that those who meet the criteria for the widower special route and have already found it difficult to maintain basic living standards should prepare the exemption request together with their permanent residency application, without needing to first raise funds through loans.

The UK government's guidance on applications for widows and widowers lists situations where evidence of financial hardship can be submitted: no accommodation and unable to afford; having accommodation but unable to afford basic living expenses such as food and heating; or low income, where paying fees would harm the well-being of children. Home Office In the "Fee waiver" section of the updated "Settlement: family life, private life and bereaved partners" published on August 19, 2026, it is clearly stated that applicants are not required to take a loan to pay, and relatives who provide living support are not expected to pay the application fee on their behalf.

Relatives temporarily provide accommodation, which will not automatically exclude this exemption; the content and scope of support need to be clearly written.

What else needs to be explained besides the bank balance?

When preparing the financial documents for the widower application, I recommend using one page to summarize the materials: where you are currently living, who pays the rent; where the income comes from, and what changes have occurred; how much is left in accounts and savings; and what monthly expenses must be paid. Each item should be marked with the corresponding pay stub, bank statement, bill, or support letter. The basic needs of the children should also be specifically written, avoiding just leaving the four characters "family difficulty." If relatives only take on accommodation or meals, you can ask them to explain what they provide and how long it can last, so the case reviewer can see the actual available support.

This income and expenditure statement should reflect real life; a single balance screenshot is hard to explain why the money is insufficient.

If the application is for a temporary residence exemption within the scope of family or private life, there are additional details required for evidence: The above-mentioned Human Rights Fee Waiver guidance usually requires documents covering the six months prior to the application, providing all account statements, and explaining large transactions over £250 and regular income and expenses. Transfers between personal accounts, temporary financial support from relatives or friends, and one-off supplementary income can be marked with their sources and purposes according to actual situations. This organization is to enable item-by-item verification between the income and expenditure list and the transaction records, reducing the possibility of a single payment being misinterpreted as additional disposable income.

This assessment is whether the applicant has the ability to pay after covering basic living expenses and children's needs; the applicant does not need to first become homeless.

The same human rights guidance also distinguishes between the application fee and IHS (immigration health surcharge): those who are able to pay the full application fee but cannot afford the entire IHS may request to be exempted only from IHS. The application fee for a single applicant cannot be partially waived on a proportional basis; however, for a family, each person's situation can be assessed individually. This distinction is suitable for inclusion in the family budget form: clearly indicating the application fee, IHS, and the items for which exemption is requested, to avoid misunderstanding that the approval of an exemption for one item means all fees related to the entire application have been addressed.

This temporary residence arrangement will not make the standard permanent residency application fee payable in installments or discounted.

How to arrange the next steps if the money hasn't been gathered yet

When ordinary permanent residency is temporarily unaffordable, the next step is to return to the expiry date of the current permit. If the conditions for renewal are still met, it may be assessed to apply for a further temporary stay; only if this application itself falls within the fee exemption scope, will the Fee Waiver be further assessed. For those applying under family or private life routes, this can be considered as a continuation plan to be verified; for work permit holders, they should follow their own renewal rules. Before changing the route solely to save costs, it is necessary to verify the impact on the eligibility period for permanent residency, and one should not separate a financial arrangement from the identity conditions.

Fee exemption approval only resolves the payment issue, and does not pre-approve the subsequent residence application.

The submission order should also be divided according to the route. Usually, for family or private life exemptions within the country, the fee decision is obtained first, and then the corresponding residence application is submitted according to the notice; after approval, the submission should be arranged within 10 working days from the date of the decision. The widowed special case should be submitted with the corresponding permanent residency form, and economic evidence should be attached. According to the guidance for handling widowed cases, if the exemption is not accepted, the applicant should be notified to submit the fee within 10 working days; if the fee is submitted on time and other validity requirements are met, the original application date can be retained. If the fee is not submitted as required, the application may be returned as an invalid application. The two deadlines handle different steps, and after receiving the notice, each item should be checked one by one.

Whether it can be exempted depends on the application category and the living situation that can be proven. Clarify these two points, and then it will be possible to decide whether to prepare for a special exemption or arrange an appropriate extension.

This article is for reference only. For specific issues, please consult a licensed attorney.

[Data source] Home Office Immigration and Nationality Fee Schedule (effective April 8, 2026); "Settlement: family life, private life and bereaved partners"; "Fee waiver: Human Rights-based and other specified applications".

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