ILR via the Private Life Route (SET(PL)): Complete 2026 Guide
How to apply for ILR under Appendix Private Life. Covers the adult 10-year, young adult 18-24 (half-life) and child 5-year variants, SET(PL) form, £3,226 fee, 180-day absence rule, and how the Private Life route differs from the 10-year Long Residence route.
What Is the Private Life Route?
The Private Life route to indefinite leave to remain is governed by Appendix Private Life of the Immigration Rules. It applies to people who have been granted leave to remain on the basis of their private life in the UK — the community, relationships, education, and personal ties that make the UK home.
Private Life applications are submitted on form SET(PL), and the current fee is £3,226 per applicant.
Who Qualifies — Three Variants
Appendix Private Life defines three qualifying periods depending on the applicant's circumstances:
- Adult (18+) — 10 continuous years on Private Life leave. This is the most common variant.
- Young Adult (18–24) — 5 continuous years, provided the applicant has lived in the UK for at least half their life.
- Child — 5 continuous years on Private Life leave (for children not born in the UK).
A separate rule applies to children born in the UK with 7 years continuous residence — see the dedicated section below.
Private Life vs Long Residence
Private Life (SET(PL)) is often confused with the 10-year Long Residence route (SET(LR)) because both reference 10 years of residence. They are distinct routes:
- Long Residence (SET(LR)): 10 continuous years of any lawful leave — stacking Student + Graduate + Skilled Worker, for example.
- Private Life (SET(PL)): 10 continuous years (or 5, for young adults/children) of Private Life leave specifically.
If you've been on the 5-year route under Appendix Private Life since your first grant of leave, SET(PL) is your form — not SET(LR).
Absence Rules (180-Day Rolling)
For decisions made on or after 11 April 2024, Private Life applicants are subject to the 180-day rolling 12-month absence rule — the same rule used on SET(M) and SET(O). Being outside the UK for more than 180 days in any rolling 12-month window during the qualifying period will break continuous residence.
Unlike the Long Residence route, there is no 548-day total absence cap. The route focuses on the rolling window only.
Certain absences do not count towards the 180-day limit, including:
- Assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis overseas.
- Travel disruption from a natural disaster, military conflict or pandemic.
- Compelling and compassionate personal circumstances — for example, a life-threatening illness of the applicant or a close family member.
Track your rolling absence totals with our ILR Absence Calculator.
The ‘Half Your Life’ Rule (18–24)
The 5-year Young Adult variant is only available where the applicant is aged 18–24 at the point of application and has lived in the UK for at least half their life. Evidence typically includes:
- School records from UK primary and secondary schooling.
- NHS medical records spanning childhood UK residence.
- Address history — council tax, utility bills, tenancy agreements.
- Earlier grants of leave showing continuous lawful presence.
Fees and IHS
The SET(PL) application fee is £3,226 per applicant, matching the SET(O) and SET(LR) fees as of April 2026. Each dependant applies separately at the same fee.
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is paid on each grant of leave leading up to settlement, not at the ILR stage itself. Adults pay £1,035 per year of leave granted; children and students pay £776 per year.
See the full fee breakdown and budget your application with the UK Visa Cost Calculator.
Life in UK Test & English Requirement
Applicants aged 18–64 must pass the Life in the UK test and meet the English language requirement — CEFR B1 or higher, or a degree taught in English. Standard exemptions apply (age, nationality, recognised qualifications).
Practice the test for free with our Life in the UK practice questions.
Documents You'll Need
The document checklist for SET(PL) mirrors other ILR routes but with particular emphasis on evidence of private life ties and the continuity of your Private Life leave grants:
- All passports and BRPs (or eVisa share codes) covering the qualifying period.
- Home Office decision letters for each grant of Private Life leave.
- Evidence of private life ties — community letters, school/employer records, GP letters, volunteer records.
- Address history across all UK addresses in the qualifying period.
- Travel history — passport stamps, boarding passes, flight records — to evidence the 180-day rule.
- For the Young Adult variant: evidence you have lived in the UK for half your life.
Get a personalised checklist via the ILR Document Checklist.
The Separate UK-Born 7-Year Rule
Appendix Private Life also provides an immediate settlement route for children born in the UK who have lived here continuously for 7 years. That is a distinct rule with different documentary and procedural requirements — it is not a qualifying-period route and is not modelled in our tracker. If that applies to you, consult the official gov.uk guidance or speak to an immigration adviser.
Tracking Your Progress
Create a free account on ilrtracker.com, select Private Life Route (SET(PL)) as your visa type, and pick the variant that applies to you (Adult, Young Adult 18–24, or Child). Your qualifying period, earliest application date, and absence status will calculate automatically.
Start with the ILR Eligibility Calculator to get your earliest application date in under a minute.
Try our free calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Private Life route to ILR?
The Private Life route allows people granted leave under Appendix Private Life to apply for indefinite leave to remain once they meet the qualifying period — 10 continuous years for adults, or 5 continuous years for young adults aged 18–24 who have lived half their life in the UK, and for children on a Private Life visa. The application form is SET(PL) and the current fee is £3,226.
Is Private Life the same as the 10-year Long Residence route?
No. Long Residence (SET(LR)) counts 10 continuous years across any lawful visas — for example, Student, then Graduate, then Skilled Worker. Private Life (SET(PL)) requires that you have held Private Life leave specifically for the qualifying period. They are distinct application forms assessed against different parts of the Immigration Rules.
What absence rules apply to Private Life?
For decisions from 11 April 2024 onwards, the standard 180-day rolling 12-month absence rule applies — the same rule used on SET(M) and SET(O). There is no 548-day total absence cap, that rule applies only to the Long Residence route. Permitted absences for humanitarian crises, natural disasters, military conflict, pandemics and compelling compassionate circumstances do not count towards the 180-day limit.
Who qualifies for the 5-year Young Adult variant?
Applicants aged 18–24 who have lived in the UK for at least half their life and who hold leave under Appendix Private Life can apply for settlement after 5 continuous years. School records from UK primary or secondary schooling are usually the strongest evidence for the 'half your life' test, supplemented by NHS records, address history and earlier grants of leave.
Does the Private Life route require the Life in the UK test?
Yes — applicants aged 18–64 must pass the Life in the UK test and meet the English language requirement (CEFR B1 or a degree taught in English). The standard exemptions (age, nationality, certain degree-level qualifications) still apply.
What about a child born in the UK with 7 years continuous residence?
That is a separate immediate-settlement route under Appendix Private Life for children born in the UK who have lived here continuously for 7 years. It does not use a qualifying period in the same way the 5- and 10-year variants do — it is modelled differently and is not covered by our tracker. For that route, consult the Home Office guidance directly or speak to an immigration adviser.
Are Private Life applicants affected by the Earned Settlement reforms?
The Earned Settlement proposals primarily target work routes (Skilled Worker, Health & Care Worker, Global Talent). Family and private life routes, including Appendix Private Life, are expected to remain outside the scope of the reforms. You can still track and plan your application under the current rules.
Related Guides
What is ILR?
A complete guide to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK. Learn what ILR means, who can apply, the different routes to settlement, eligibility requirements, costs, and how long it takes.
UK ILR Rules
Complete guide to UK ILR rules and conditions. Covers residence requirements, absence limits, salary thresholds, English language, Life in the UK test, and good character for every visa route.
Long Residence Route
How the 10-year continuous residence route to ILR works, including the SET(LR) form, fees, absence rules (both historic and current), and who this route is for.