ILR English Requirement Rises to B2 on 26 March 2027: Who Is Affected and How to Prepare

B2 English for ILR: What Changes on 26 March 2027 and How to Prepare

The English language requirement for settlement is rising from B1 to B2. Who it affects, whether you can apply before the change, and how to evidence the higher level.

For many people working towards Indefinite Leave to Remain, the English requirement has been a formality. That is about to change.

From 26 March 2027, most settlement applicants will need to show English at a higher level than before. If you expect to apply for ILR next year, check now.

What Is Changing?

The change was made by the Statement of Changes HC 1691, laid before Parliament on 5 March 2026. It raises the English language requirement for settlement from CEFR level B1 to B2 for applications made on or after 26 March 2027.

B1 is broadly comparable to GCSE level. B2 is closer to A-Level and is a significant step up.

What matters is the date you apply, not when you entered the UK, so people already on a route are affected.

Who Is Affected?

Most settlement routes are covered, including Skilled Worker (including Health and Care Worker), Global Talent, Scale-up, UK Ancestry, International Sportsperson and the ten-year Long Residence route. On the Innovator Founder route, it affects partners and children, as main applicants already show B2 to obtain their visa.

It also applies to family settlement. The Home Office has confirmed that applicants settling as partners under Appendix FM will be affected, as will partners and adult children of people on work routes.

This is a significant change for Skilled Workers. At present, a main applicant has no separate English requirement at settlement. From 26 March 2027, they will need B2, even if they entered the route with a B1 qualification.

Can You Apply Before the Change?

Applications made before 26 March 2027 are assessed under the current rules, and most ILR applications can be made up to 28 days before the qualifying period ends. If you will reach your qualifying date by around late April 2027, you may be able to apply before the change takes effect.

Applying early must not mean applying prematurely. An application made too soon is likely to be refused, and the £3,226 fee will not be refunded.

How Can You Prove B2 English?

Most applicants will meet the requirement by passing a Secure English Language Test with an approved provider at B2 level in speaking and listening. The Skilled Worker caseworker guidance refers to all four skills, so check the current guidance before booking.

Other routes may be available, including an academic qualification taught in English and recognised as equivalent to a UK degree, or nationality of a majority English-speaking country.

Timing matters. A test generally must have been taken no more than two years before the application, so prepare early but plan the test date carefully.

Exemptions

The existing exemptions continue to apply. You are exempt if, at the date of application, you are aged 65 or over, under 18, or have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement. A medical exemption must be supported by evidence.

How This Fits with Earned Settlement

The B2 requirement is already part of the Immigration Rules and does not depend on the wider earned settlement reforms announced on 2 November 2026. Those reforms, which are expected to lengthen the qualifying period for most migrants, are not yet in the Rules.

How Imran & Co Solicitors Can Assist

If you expect to apply for settlement in 2027, getting the timing and evidence right matters. We advise on ILR eligibility, application dates, English language evidence and exemptions.

Contact our team for advice tailored to your circumstances.

Official Sources

1. Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules: HC 1691, 5 March 2026 (accessible version) - GOV.UK

2. Explanatory Memorandum to The Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules

3. Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules Appendix English Language - Guidance - GOV.UK

Disclaimer: This article provides general information based on UK immigration requirements as of 5 November 2026 and should not be treated as legal advice concerning individual circumstances.