Best Free UK ILR & Settlement Calculators in 2026

"Best ILR calculator" is the wrong question, because an ILR application is really several separate tasks — and the best tool is different for each. For the figures that change often, the official GOV.UK pages are the authority and no third-party tool should be trusted over them. For the date and absence arithmetic GOV.UK does not provide, a free calculator saves real time. This guide picks the best tool for each task, honestly. It is reviewed and updated at the start of each month.

The tools you actually need for ILR

A typical ILR applicant needs to answer six questions:

• When is my earliest application date?
• Do my absences stay within the 180-day rule?
• What will it cost, including the health surcharge?
• When can I apply for citizenship afterwards?
• How do I pass the Life in the UK test?
• Which documents do I need?

The best free tool for each is below.

Best tool by task

1. Your earliest ILR date

GOV.UK explains the qualifying periods but does not calculate your date. Our ILR eligibility calculator takes your visa start date and route and returns your earliest application date, including the 28-day early-application window — the arithmetic most people get wrong by hand. Best for: a precise date in seconds.

2. The 180-day absence rule

This is where a tool earns its place, because the 180-day limit applies to every rolling 12-month window, not your total time away. Our ILR absence calculator logs your trips and checks all windows automatically, flagging any that are at risk. Best for: catching a breach before the Home Office does.

3. Fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge

For money, go to the source. The official GOV.UK pages are the authority for the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, and they are kept current as figures change — which they do. To see how those official figures add up across your whole journey, our cost calculator and ILR costs guide pull them into a single plan. Best for: trustworthy numbers (GOV.UK) plus total-cost planning (ILR Tracker).

4. Citizenship eligibility after ILR

Most people apply for British citizenship 12 months after ILR. The official GOV.UK citizenship checker is the best starting point for eligibility. To plan the timing around your own ILR date and the naturalisation absence rules, see our citizenship after ILR guide. Best for: confirming eligibility (GOV.UK) and timing it (ILR Tracker).

5. The Life in the UK test

You book the test on the official GOV.UK Life in the UK test page, which is also the authoritative source for what it covers. To prepare, practice questions are the most effective tool — our free Life in the UK practice test mirrors the real format. Best for: booking (GOV.UK) and preparation (practice questions).

6. Your document checklist

The documents you need depend on your route, so a generic list is rarely enough. Our ILR document checklist tailors the list to your visa type and lets you track what you have gathered. Best for: a personalised, route-specific list.

How the tools fit together

Used in order, these tools cover an entire ILR application: confirm your earliest date, verify your absences, plan the cost from the official GOV.UK figures, prepare for the Life in the UK test, and assemble your documents. GOV.UK remains the authority for the rules and the money; the calculators do the arithmetic and tracking it does not. You can use all of ILR Tracker's calculators free, and a free account saves your trips and progress as you go.