On 9 April 2026, the Home Office announced that they would be expanding the scope for their automated checks, when establishing whether a pre-status holder is eligible for settled status.
Automatic conversion of pre-settled holders
In 2025, the Home Office began automatically converting eligible pre-settled status holders to settled status, without them needing to make a further application. This is done by the Home Office using data stored with other government departments, such as HMRC and the Department of Work and Pensios (DWP), to verify continuous residence in the UK.
If the Home Office could not automatically convert an individual’s status due to insufficient information, pre-settled status has been automatically extended for an additional five years. During this period, individuals retain the option to apply for settled status by submitting their own evidence.
Statistics from 2025 show that there were 87,000 automatic grants of settled status.
What is the continuous residence requirement?
Up until July 2025, those under the EUSS would become eligible for settled status once they have completed 60 months (five years) in the UK, during which they could not have been absent from the UK for more than 6 months in any 12-month period.
However, since then the requirement is that an applicant must have been in the UK for at least 30 months in the 60-month period.
The new system
The automated system has been expanded to accommodate this new requirement, with the aim of increasing the number of pre-settled status holders who are converted automatically.
Under the current residence requirement, it is possible for an individual to be absent for more than 6 months but not have broken their residency. The new system has been designed to account for this, and to use different identifying markers.
Groups excluded from automatic conversion
Although the system has expanded, there remains a number of groups who are unable to benefit from this, and who must still submit their own application for settlement. These groups are:
- EEA citizens who have not been paying tax or receiving benefits for at least 30 months in the last 60 months
- those granted pre-settled status who later obtained another UK immigration status
- non-EEA national family members
- joining family members of any nationality
- those under the age of 18
- those with other eligibility requirements (such as those with ‘derivative rights’)
Where these individuals are identified, the Home Office will continue to automatically extend their pre-settled status.
Removal of pre-settled status from those not eligible
This expansion will also see the Home Office begin to remove pre-settled status from individuals who ‘have clearly ceased to maintain continuous residence in the UK’. For those in this situation, the Home Office will follow these steps:
Step one:
The Home Office will check tax and benefit data to verify a person’s continuous residence in the UK and review any evidence of criminal conduct. If eligibility for settled status is confirmed, the person’s digital status will be converted automatically to settled status.
Step two:
Where eligibility for settled status cannot be confirmed, Home Office travel data will be checked to determine which pre-settled status holders have not maintained continuous residence in the UK. If verified, status will be converted.
Step three:
If still not verified, the Home Office will contact the individual using the email address and phone number associated with their UKVI account, requesting evidence to support their excess absences and any other mitigating circumstances.
If it is considered disproportionate to remove pre-settled status, an extension of leave may be granted.
Individuals whose pre-settled status is removed will have the right to appeal.
Priority will be given to reviewing those who have been outside the UK for the longest period, starting with individuals who have been outside the UK for the past five years.
How to protect yourself if you have concerns about your absences
If you are concerned about your absences from the UK, consider the following steps:
- Begin gathering evidence to support why your absences exceed the threshold. This evidence may include:
- Health issues affecting yourself or family
- Pandemic circumstances
- Natural disasters
- Compulsory military service
- If eligible, submit your own application for settled status. This allows you to present your own representations from the outset.
- Ensure your contact details on your UKVI account are kept up to date.
By Abigail Gledhill