Almost 200,000 people were granted permanent settlement in the UK in the year to June, taking the annual total to its highest level since 2011, according to new Home Office figures.
Official statistics show 199,628 settlement grants were issued in the year ending June 2026, up 24% from 161,585 in the previous 12 months.
The Home Office says the increase was driven by larger numbers of people previously on work routes reaching eligibility for indefinite leave to remain, alongside the first substantial cohort of British National (Overseas) visa holders completing the qualifying residence period.
The figures arrive amid a political debate over major changes to the settlement system, but the official statistics do not establish that the increase was caused by people rushing to beat future restrictions.
Settlement grants reach highest level since 2011
Settlement, commonly granted as indefinite leave to remain, gives an eligible person the right to remain in the UK permanently and can subsequently provide a route to British citizenship.
There were 199,628 settlement grants in the year ending June 2026, a 24% increase on the 161,585 recorded a year earlier.
The Home Office said this was the highest annual total since the year ending June 2011.
The figure is separate from the EU Settlement Scheme. A further 336,229 grants of settled status were issued under the EUSS during the same year, while 1,841 immediate family settlement grants were recorded.
Indian nationals largest group receiving settlement
Indian nationals remained the largest nationality group receiving settlement, with 35,384 grants during the year — an increase of 51% compared with the previous year.
The Home Office said the rise mainly reflected growing numbers of Indian nationals who entered Britain on work routes in earlier years and have now completed the continuous residence period required for settlement.
Hong Kong and Chinese grants surge as BN(O) cohort becomes eligible
Hong Kong nationals became the second-largest nationality group receiving settlement, with 22,593 grants in the year ending June 2026.
Settlement grants to Chinese nationals also increased sharply, rising from 5,570 a year earlier to 21,300.
The Home Office said the increases largely reflect BN(O) visa holders completing the required qualifying period following the introduction of the route in 2021.
Figures reflect earlier migration as well as current policy
The latest settlement total should not be interpreted as representing 199,628 new arrivals to Britain during the past year.
Settlement is generally awarded after someone has already lived legally in the UK for a qualifying period, meaning today's figures partly reflect migration patterns and visa decisions made several years earlier.
The Home Office explicitly says annual settlement numbers reflect both the number of migrants arriving in previous years and the policies determining how long they must live in Britain before becoming eligible.
Citizenship grants remain historically high
Separate Home Office statistics show 245,520 grants of British citizenship in the year ending June 2026.
That was 4% lower than the previous year's record level, although the Home Office said citizenship grants remain high compared with historical volumes.
Of the total, 171,435 people received citizenship through naturalisation, down 7% year-on-year, while 74,085 received citizenship through registration.
More than half a million indefinite-leave grants when EUSS included
When settlement and EU Settlement Scheme figures are combined with immediate settlement, the Home Office recorded 537,698 grants of indefinite leave during the year.
Of those, 336,229 were settled-status grants under the EU Settlement Scheme, while 199,628 were settlement grants through other immigration routes.
The different schemes have distinct legal frameworks, and the Home Office therefore reports EUSS settled status separately from conventional settlement.
Government faces politically sensitive settlement debate
The figures land amid a wider political debate about how quickly migrants should qualify for permanent status and what conditions should apply.
Some reports have characterised the latest increase as migrants seeking to secure permanent status before rules become more restrictive. However, the Home Office's statistical release does not establish that as the cause of the rise.
Its official explanation points instead to people who arrived in earlier years on work and BN(O) routes reaching the point at which they are eligible for settlement.
Highest total in 15 years adds pressure to immigration debate
Even with that qualification, the scale of the increase is politically significant.
A total of 199,628 settlement grants represents the highest annual level for this category since 2011 and comes at a time when immigration, citizenship and permanent residency remain central issues in Westminster.
The figures will provide fresh ammunition for politicians seeking tougher settlement rules, while opponents of further restrictions are likely to stress that many recipients have already spent years living and working legally in Britain before becoming eligible.
What the statistics establish is clear: permanent settlement grants have risen by almost a quarter in a year, driven substantially by earlier work migration and the maturing BN(O) route.