Accredited official statistics

How many people are granted settlement or citizenship?

Published 28 November 2024

Back to ‘Immigration system statistics, year ending September 2024’ content page.

Data relates to the year ending September 2024 and all comparisons are with year ending September 2023 (unless indicated otherwise).

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 147,053 grants of settlement in the UK in the year ending September 2024, almost a third more than the year ending September 2023.

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 ending September 2010 to September 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 number in 2017. By the year ending September 2024, settlement grants had risen to 147,053, reaching numbers similar to 2013, with increases in every category when compared to the previous year. However, the total number of settlement grants remains lower than the peak in the year ending September 2010 (241,586).

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

Reason	Year ending September 2023	Year ending September 2024	Change	Percentage change
Total grants of which:	112,413	147,053	+34,640	+31%
Work	39,704	53,658	+13,954	+35%
Refugee	26,527	35,654	+9,127	+34%
Family	31,577	41,553	+9,976	+32%
Other	14,605	16,188	+1,583	+11%
Total refusals	2,065	2,514	+449	+22%
Total decisions	114,478	149,567	+35,089	+31%

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.

1.1 Work

Settlement grants to people on work visas accounted for over a third (36%) of the total settlement grants in the year ending September 2024, with the number (53,658) increasing by over a third (35%) compared to the previous year.

The total number of settlement grants for individuals holding a Skilled Worker visa reached 40,987 in the year ending September 2024, representing more than three-quarters of all grants within this category. This figure was 50% higher than the previous year and marked the highest recorded since the time series began in 2007. The rise in settlement grants for Skilled Workers likely reflects the increase in Skilled Worker visas issued in recent years, with more individuals now reaching the qualifying period for settlement under this route.

1.2 Family

In the year ending September 2024, there were 41,553 settlement grants issued to individuals previously granted a family visa. This accounted for 28% of all settlement grants during this period and marked a 32% 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. The 26,073 grants issued in this category represent the highest number in the last 10 years and are almost double the number of settlements granted in the year ending September 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 the year ending September 2024, 2,082 individuals were granted settlement under the Family Life (10-year route). Numbers have been rising steadily since 2022, reflecting the growing number of people reaching the 10-year eligibility period. 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 Refugees

There were 35,654 grants of settlement to people who had arrived in the UK as refugees or had been granted refugee status in the year ending September 2024, just over a third more than the previous year. Although this figure remains below the peak recorded in December 2022 (48,010), it is nearly double the pre-pandemic average of 18,500 between the years ending September 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 11% to 16,188 in the latest year.

Like the Family Life route, the Private Life visa is also a 10-year route to settlement that was introduced in 2012. The first instances of settlement grants under this route occurred in 2022. In the year ending September 2024, there were 2,451 grants of settlement from this route; over two and a half times the number compared to the previous year (935).

For information on those granted settlement via the EU settlement scheme, see How many people have been granted settlement via the EU Settlement Scheme.

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 268,481 grants of British citizenship in the year ending September 2024, 44% more than the year ending September 2023.

In the year ending September 2024, there were 61,655 grants of citizenship to EU nationals and 206,826 to non-EU nationals, with both figures representing a 44% increase compared to the year ending September 2023. The latest figures represent a continuing upward trend seen since the year ending March 2021 (128,598) and numbers have now more than doubled.

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

Source: Citizenship detailed datasets - Cit_D02

Figure 2 shows the number of citizenship grants for the period year ending September 2010 to year ending September 2024. Recent increases in citizenship grants have been impacted by grants to non-EU nationals.

The most common non-EU nationalities granted British citizenship in year ending September 2024 were Indian (24,613), Pakistani (21,539), and Nigerian (12,324) nationals. However, there are a wide range of nationalities granted citizenship, and the top 3 nationalities accounted for a little over one-quarter (28%) of grants to non-EU nationals in this period.

Italian nationals were the top EU nationality granted citizenship in year ending September 2024 (13,615), followed by Romanian (8,137), and Polish (7,475) nationals. These 3 nationalities accounted for almost half (47%) of the grants of British citizenship to EU nationals over that period and have consistently accounted for over 40% of grants to EU nationals each quarter since year ending September 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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