Accredited official statistics

How many people are granted settlement or citizenship?

Published 27 February 2025

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1. Settlement

People in the UK who meet certain criteria can apply for settlement in the UK. This allows them to remain indefinitely. People granted settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme are not included in this chapter, but in the separate chapter on the EU Settlement Scheme, see ‘How many people have been granted settlement via the EU Settlement Scheme’

There were 161,880 grants of settlement in the UK in 2024, a 35% increase from 2023 and the highest volume in 13 years.

The number of people granted settlement each year will reflect the number of migrants coming to the UK in earlier years and policies regarding the length of time they are required to live in the UK before becoming eligible for settlement. Key rule changes affecting the long-term trends in grants of settlement by route were summarised in the Immigration system statistics, year ending March 2023.

Figure 1: Grants of settlement in the UK, by leave type^1,2,3, years 2010 to 2024

Source: Settlement - Se_D02

Notes:

1. ‘Leave type’ relates to type of leave to remain in the UK held immediately prior to being granted settlement.
2. ‘Other’ includes grants based on Long Residence, Private Life, BN(O) routes and grants on a discretionary basis. Also includes a few cases where the category of leave immediately prior to the grant of settlement has not been recorded.
3. ‘Refugee’ refers to individuals who have been granted settlement in the UK, having been recognised as a refugee. It also includes those who have been granted exceptional leave, humanitarian protection, or discretionary leave to remain, and have subsequently qualified for settlement following a period of residence in the country.

Figure 1 shows a steady increase in settlement grants since the low levels observed in 2016. By 2024, the number of grants had risen to 161,880, reaching levels similar to those seen in 2011, with increases across all categories compared to the previous year. However, the total number of settlement grants remains below the peak recorded in 2010 (241,192).

Table 1: Grants by leave type^1,2,3 and refusals of settlement in the UK, years 2023 and 2024

Reason	2023	2024	Change	Percentage change
Total grants	119,501	161,880	42,379	35%
of which:
Work	43,255	57,559	14,304	33%
Asylum (Refugee)	29,715	40,278	10,563	36%
Family (formation and reunion)	33,035	46,242	13,207	40%
Other	13,496	17,801	4,305	32%
Total refusals	2,271	2,581	310	14%

Source: Settlement - Se_D02

Notes:

1. Trends in numbers applying for settlement will reflect policies and patterns of migration years earlier.
2. ‘Other’ includes grants based on Long Residence, Private Life, BN(O) routes and grants on a discretionary basis. Also includes a few cases where the category of leave immediately prior to the grant of settlement has not been recorded.
3. ‘Refugee’ refers to individuals who have been granted settlement in the UK, having been recognised as refugees. It also includes those who have been granted exceptional leave, humanitarian protection, or discretionary leave to remain, and have subsequently qualified for settlement following a period of residence in the country.

In 2024, settlement grants to people on work routes continued to make up the largest category, accounting for 36% of the total, similar to the previous year. Asylum grants remained stable at 25%, matching the proportion of total grants in the previous year, although this reflects a decrease from the proportional peak observed in 2020. Family formation and reunion saw a modest increase to 29%, while the “Other” category remained consistent with the previous year at 11% (Note 2). Refusals accounted for 1.6% of settlement decisions in 2024, maintaining the general trend of a steady fall in refusal rates since 2017.

1.1 Work

The number of settlement grants to people on work routes accounted for over a third (36%) of the total in 2024, with the number (57,559) increasing by a third, when compared to the previous year.

The total number of settlement grants for individuals with leave to remain in the UK on the Skilled Worker route reached 43,975 in 2024, representing more than three-quarters of all grants within the work category. This was 44% higher than the previous year and represented the highest number of settlement grants for former holders of a skilled worker route visa since the route was introduced in 2008.

The increase in settlement grants for Skilled Workers reflects a sustained rise in the number of individuals granted leave to enter the UK under the Tier 2 (General) route between 2012 and 2019. However, the relationship between the rise in skilled worker route entry clearance, and the number of individuals granted settlement under this route represents only one contributing factor. This does not, for instance, account for those who were granted leave to enter the UK under other routes, before transitioning to the Skilled Worker route, ultimately leading to further leave and eventual settlement.

For more information – see Why do people come to the UK: Work.

1.2 Family (Formation and Reunion)

In 2024, the number of settlement grants to people on family routes was 46,242, which marked a 40% increase from the previous year.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of settlement grants to individuals with a family visa in this period were issued to wives who had previously joined their spouses in the UK - this was the highest number in the last 10 years, more than double the number in 2020. Between 2019 and 2023, the nationalities most frequently receiving settlement grants as wives were from India (21,418), Pakistan (19,536), and the United States (7,356).

In 2024, 2,394 individuals were granted settlement under the Family Life (10-year route). Numbers have been rising steadily since 2022, reflecting a growing number of people who may have remained on the family life route and reached the 10-year eligibility period to apply for settlement in the UK. This route, introduced in the Family and Private life 2012 Immigration rules, allows individuals who do not meet the criteria for the 5-year route to settlement but who have established genuine family life in the UK to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

1.3 Asylum (Refugees)

There were 40,278 grants of settlement in 2024 to people who had arrived in the UK as refugees or had been granted refugee status, just over a third more than the previous year. Although this figure remains below the peak recorded in 2022 (48,010), it is more than double the level between 2015 and 2019.

The Migrant journey: 2023 report shows that, of people granted refugee permission as their first form of leave to remain since 2007, nearly two-thirds went on to obtain settlement within 7 years, with the vast majority (93%) having obtained some form of indefinite leave to remain after 10 years.

1.4 Other

Settlement grants to those previously in the UK for other reasons, primarily long residence, or discretionary leave, increased by 32% to 17,801 in 2024.

Most settlement grants within the ‘Other’ category were for individuals granted settlement under the Long Residence route, which is available to those who have lived lawfully and continuously in the UK for 10 years or more. Individuals who have lived in the UK for a long period but have not met the 10-year lawful and continuous residence requirement may instead be eligible to apply for settlement under Appendix Private Life.

Like the Family Life route, the Private Life route was introduced in 2012. The first instances of settlement grants under this route occurred in 2022. In 2024, there were 2,658 grants of settlement from this route; almost double the number compared to the previous year (1,447).

2. Citizenship

People with British citizenship have the right to live and work in the UK without any immigration control and can apply for a British passport. British citizenship is defined by the British Nationality Act 1981. People may be eligible for British citizenship (or ‘naturalisation’) for several reasons. Further details on the eligibility to apply for British citizenship can be found on GOV.UK.

There were 269,621 grants of British citizenship in 2024, 30% more than 2023.

In 2024, there were 60,632 grants of citizenship to EU nationals and 208,989 to non-EU nationals, 27% and 32% increases respectively, when compared to 2023. The latest figures for citizenship grants reflect a continued upward trend since 2020 (130,568), with the total number now more than doubling and reaching the highest level since the time series began in 2005.

Figure 2: Number of grants of British citizenship for EU and non-EU nationals, years 2010 to 2024

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets - Cit_D02

There were over 200 nationalities granted citizenship in 2024. Figure 2 shows there have been increases in citizenship grants over the last 4 years driven by non-EU nationals.

The most common non-EU nationalities granted British citizenship in 2024 were Indian (24,888), Pakistani (22,153), and Nigerian (12,630) nationals, and these nationalities represented 29% of the total grants to non-EU nationals in this period.

Italian nationals were the leading EU nationality granted citizenship in 2024 (12,871), followed by Romanian (7,970) and Polish (7,362) nationals. Together, these 3 nationalities accounted for nearly half (47%) of all grants of British citizenship to EU nationals during this period and have consistently represented over 40% of such grants each quarter since 2012.

Grants by reason and refusals of British citizenship can be found in the Citizenship summary tables.

3. About these statistics

The statistics in this section refer to individuals who have leave to remain in the UK who wish to make their right to remain in the UK permanent.

More information about the statistics can be found in the user guide.

3.1 Settlement

Settlement can be granted to individuals – subject to immigration control – to allow them to work, study and travel into and out of the UK without restriction. To be granted settlement, individuals generally must have lived in the UK for a certain length of time in a qualifying category. Those granted settlement can access state benefits and register their UK-born children as British citizens. It does not entitle the individual to a British passport (which requires British citizenship) or to vote in a general election (which requires British, Commonwealth, or Irish Republic citizenship).

The statistics in this section show the number of grants and refusals on applications for settlement in the UK. They take account of the outcomes of reconsiderations and appeals.

3.2 Citizenship

British citizens can live and work in the UK free of any immigration controls. They can apply for a British passport, register to vote in all forms of election and referenda, and share in all the other rights and responsibilities of their status.

Dual citizenship (also known as dual nationality) is allowed in the UK. This means people can be both a British citizen and a citizen of other countries.

If someone is not already a British citizen based on where and when they were born, or their parents’ circumstances, they can apply to become one.

The statistics in this section show the number of applications and grants for British citizenship.

In May 2024, the Home Office published the Migrant journey: 2023 report, which explores changes in non-EEA migrants’ visa and leave status as they journey through the UK’s immigration system.

4. Data tables

Data referred to here can be found in the following tables:

• Settlement summary tables
• Detailed settlement datasets
• Citizenship summary tables
• Detailed citizenship datasets

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