ILR Calculator was created by immigration researchers and policy specialists who were frustrated by confusing, outdated, or paywalled tools. We built what we wished existed: a comprehensive, honest, and completely free resource for every UK visa holder navigating the path to settlement.
Our Mission
The UK immigration system is complex, constantly changing, and expensive to navigate. We believe that access to accurate planning information should never be gated behind expensive legal fees or confusing government jargon.
In 2023, one of our co-founders missed her ILR application window because no tool clearly combined the 28-day early application rule with the 180-day rolling absence test. A simple calculation failure cost her months of uncertainty and thousands of pounds in extended visa fees.
We spent six months talking to over 400 UK visa holders — Skilled Workers, BNO holders, family route applicants, and long-residence claimants. Every single one said the same thing: "The information is out there, but it's too scattered and too complicated."
ILR Calculator was built to fix that. Every feature, every guide, every calculator is designed around a single question: What would genuinely help a real person in this situation?
We cross-reference every rule with primary GOV.UK sources, Parliament debates, and Home Office guidance. When rules change — like the 2026 earned settlement proposals — we update within 24 hours and explain exactly what it means for you.
What We Stand For
Six principles guide every decision we make — from what we build to how we write.
We only publish information we can trace to a primary official source. If we're uncertain, we say so clearly and link directly to GOV.UK or the relevant Immigration Rules.
We are a planning tool, not a law firm. We tell users exactly that — on every page. We never overstate what a calculator result means for their case.
Our tools work for every settlement route: Skilled Worker, BNO, Spouse/Partner, Long Residence, EU Settled Status, and more. No route left out, no jargon unexplained.
Your personal immigration data never touches our servers. Calculations run client-side in your browser. We never ask for your name, email, or visa details.
Rule changes — from fee increases to earned settlement proposals — are reflected within 24 hours. We monitor Parliament, the Home Office, and official statements in real time.
We actively gather feedback from the visa holder community and immigration practitioners. Real-world edge cases shape our calculators, not just rule-book scenarios.
The People Behind ILR Calculator
ILR Calculator is built and maintained by a small, dedicated team of immigration researchers, policy analysts, and technology specialists.
With over 10 years covering UK settlement law, Matteo specialises in earned settlement proposals, Skilled Worker route compliance, and ILR eligibility edge cases. He tracks every Home Office statement of changes and Parliamentary debate related to settlement routes.
Anju has been writing about UK immigration for eight years, with a focus on family and partner visa routes, BNO settlement, and EU Settled Status conversion. Her guides are read by tens of thousands of visa holders every month and are known for their clarity and accuracy.
Our research team cross-checks every calculation method, rule interpretation, and published guide against primary sources — GOV.UK, Immigration Rules (HC 395), Home Office policy guidance, and published First-tier Tribunal decisions. No guide goes live without a full source audit.
Our engineering team ensures the calculators are fast, private, and work perfectly on all devices. All calculations are client-side only — no servers store your data. We maintain full WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance so every user, regardless of ability, can use our tools effectively.
By the Numbers
Every month, tens of thousands of people rely on our tools to plan their ILR journey. Here's what that looks like in numbers.
Real People, Real Journeys
We hear from thousands of users every month. Here are a few of their stories.
"I'd been worrying about whether I passed the 180-day test for months. Five minutes with your calculator gave me complete clarity — and a huge sense of relief. The 28-day early application window is a game-changer I didn't even know existed."
"As a BNO visa holder, most ILR tools didn't properly account for our route. This is the first calculator I've found that handles BNO correctly and explains the nuances clearly. I shared it in our Hong Kong community group and hundreds of people found it incredibly helpful."
"The earned settlement articles kept me sane during all the uncertainty in early 2026. The updates were faster and more accurate than anything I could find elsewhere — including paid immigration news services. I knew I could trust it because every claim linked to the actual source."
How We Work
Every piece of content and every calculator on ILR Calculator goes through a rigorous multi-stage process before it reaches you.
We start with the official Immigration Rules (HC 395 and its amendments), Home Office policy guidance, GOV.UK guidance, and published Parliamentary records. Never secondary sources or legal blogs.
Every calculation method and factual claim is cross-referenced against at least two independent primary sources before it is incorporated into a calculator or guide.
We test every calculator with real-world edge cases submitted by our community — unusual absence patterns, mid-period visa switches, CTA travel, and exceptional circumstances.
Our team monitors Home Office Statements of Changes, Written Ministerial Statements, and Parliamentary debates daily. Any changes affecting our content are reflected within 24 hours.
Our Journey
Started with a single ILR date calculator, built after our co-founder missed her application window. Within three months, 5,000 monthly users.
Added the 180-day rolling absence test, continuous residence checker, BNO route calculator, spouse visa timeline tool, and comprehensive guide library.
Added the author team, introduced the E-E-A-T framework, and launched immigration news coverage tracking Home Office rule changes in real time.
180,000+ monthly users. Covering earned settlement proposals, B2 English changes, salary compliance updates, and every settlement route. Still 100% free.
ILR Calculator provides immigration planning tools and informational guidance only. Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice, and no results from our calculators constitute a formal legal assessment of your case.
For case-specific immigration advice, always consult a qualified immigration solicitor or an OISC-regulated adviser. For authoritative rules, refer to GOV.UK and the official Immigration Rules.
Use our free calculator to check your qualifying date, 28-day application window, and 180-day rolling absence test — instantly, no login required.