EU Settlement Scheme: Automatic Conversion To Settled Status And New Risks For Pre-Settled Status Holders

Major changes to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) have been introduced by the Home Office over the past year:

• In January 2025, the Home Office announced that eligible individuals with pre-settled status would be automatically upgraded to settled status, without the need to submit a further application.
• On 9 April 2026, the Home Office released further details on how this process will now operate in practice, alongside important updates that may affect those at risk of losing their pre-settled status.

Automatic Conversion to Settled Status

The Home Office confirmed that its system will look for evidence of at least 30 months of tax payments or benefit receipt within the most recent 60-month period. Where this is found, settled status should be granted automatically.