How the IHS and ILR estimates work
Two of the biggest questions for anyone moving to the UK on a work or family route are how much it will cost and how long until they can settle. This tool answers both. The Immigration Health Surcharge gives you access to the National Health Service for the length of your visa, and it is paid as a single upfront sum when you apply, not monthly. Indefinite Leave to Remain is the UK's settlement status, which removes time limits on your stay and is usually the step before British citizenship. Seeing the surcharge total and your ILR-eligible date side by side makes the financial and time commitment clear from the outset.
Calculating the Immigration Health Surcharge
The surcharge is charged per person per year of leave granted. The standard adult rate is GBP 1,035 a year, while students, Youth Mobility applicants and under-18 dependants pay the reduced rate of GBP 776 a year. The calculator multiplies the correct rate by the number of years and by each family member, because every dependant pays separately. For a typical family on a five-year visa the total can run into many thousands of pounds, so knowing the figure before you apply prevents an unwelcome surprise at the payment stage.
Estimating your ILR date
Most points-based work routes, such as the Skilled Worker visa, lead to ILR after five years of continuous lawful residence. Some routes differ: partners of British citizens often qualify after five years too, the Innovator Founder route can lead to settlement in three years, and the long-residence route takes ten. The calculator counts forward from your qualifying start date to show the earliest day you could apply, so you can line up your finances, English-language evidence and the Life in the UK test well ahead of time.
How to protect your settlement timeline
The most common reason people lose years toward ILR is excessive absence. As a guide, keep time outside the UK under 180 days in any rolling 12-month period across your qualifying years, and keep evidence of your travel. Make sure you never let your leave lapse, because a gap can break continuity, and be careful when switching visa categories - not every route counts toward the same settlement clock. Budget for the surcharge alongside the application and biometric fees, and remember that you will also need to pass the Life in the UK test and meet the English-language requirement before ILR is granted.
Use these figures as a planning estimate. IHS rates, visa fees and settlement rules are set by the Home Office and change periodically, so confirm the current amounts and your route's exact requirements on GOV.UK before you apply.