UK ILR Absence Calculator
Check your trips abroad against the 180-day rule. We test every rolling 12-month period in your qualifying period, not just calendar years.
Use a future date to plan when to apply.
Your trips outside the UK
Only whole days count, so the days you leave and return are not absences. Your trips are saved in this browser only.
Your result
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The ILR 180-day absence rule
Any 12 months, not calendar years
Under Appendix Continuous Residence you must not be outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period. The window rolls, so two long trips either side of New Year can breach the limit even if each calendar year looks fine. This calculator checks every possible 12-month window.
Only whole days count
The Home Office counts whole days only. A trip leaving on 1 March and returning on 10 March is 8 days of absence, because you were in the UK for part of 1 and 10 March.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 180-day rule for ILR?
To qualify for indefinite leave to remain on most work and family routes, you must not have been outside the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period during your qualifying period. This is set out in Appendix Continuous Residence of the Immigration Rules.
Is the 180-day limit per calendar year or any 12 months?
Any 12 months. For permission granted on or after 11 January 2018, absences are assessed on a rolling basis over any 12-month period they fall within, so you need to check every possible 12-month window, not just calendar or visa years. For permission granted before that date, absences are assessed in consecutive 12-month periods ending on the date of application.
How are days of absence counted?
Only whole days count. If you leave the UK on 1 March and return on 10 March, you were absent for 8 days, because you were in the UK for part of 1 March and 10 March.
Which visa routes does the 180-day rule apply to?
Appendix Continuous Residence covers settlement on routes including Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, Scale-up, UK Ancestry, Representative of an Overseas Business, International Sportsperson, Settlement Family Life, Private Life, Hong Kong BN(O) and Long Residence. The qualifying period depends on the route, commonly 5 years, 3 years for some routes, and 10 years for Long Residence.
What happens if I have been outside the UK for more than 180 days?
An absence above the limit normally breaks continuous residence, which can mean starting your qualifying period again. Some absences can be disregarded, for example for serious or compelling personal reasons, so take advice before you apply if you are over the limit.
Are the ILR rules changing to 10 years?
The government confirmed its earned settlement reforms on 2 November 2026, including a 10-year baseline qualifying period for many routes. They are not in force yet: changes to the Immigration Rules are expected from December 2026 and to be implemented over 2027. Until then, applications are decided under the current rules. You can set the calculator to a 10-year period to plan ahead.
Related calculators
- British citizenship absence calculator: the 450-day and 90-day rules once you have ILR
- UK Statutory Residence Test: your UK tax residence, which is a separate test
- Schengen 90/180 calculator: for UK passport holders travelling in Europe
Disclaimer: This calculator is for information only and is not legal or immigration advice. The Home Office can apply exceptions and discretion that a calculator cannot assess. Rules checked against the Immigration Rules: Appendix Continuous Residence and the Home Office continuous residence guidance in November 2026.
