How to check your settled tatus in the UK (2026 guide)

Imagine your rental application rejected because your landlord can’t verify your settled status online. Or discovering your status silently expired after two years abroad, leaving you unemployable. Your settled status now lives only in a government database you’ve never accessed. This guide reveals exactly how to check your settled status, prove your settled status to landlords and employers, view your settled status before expiry, generate your settled status code, and fix settled status login failures. We expose what proof of settled status actually satisfies legal requirements and when you urgently need an immigration solicitor specialising in EU Settlement Scheme disputes.

Your settled status could be expired right now. Verify your status before it costs you housing or employment.

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Settled vs pre-settled status: Why the 2026 rule change matters

UK settled status grants permanent residence; you can live, work, and access public services indefinitely without time limits or renewal fees. Pre-settled status is temporary, valid for five years, designed as a pathway to settled status once you complete five years’ continuous UK residence. The distinction carries real consequences: pre-settled holders face strict six-month absence limits before losing eligibility, whilst settled status holders can be absent for up to two years before risking expiry.

This is where 2026 becomes transformative. From 2025, the Home Office introduced a 30-month rule; pre-settled status holders can now qualify for settled status after just 2.5 years of residence (not five), calculated as 30 months physically present within any 60-month period. This regulatory shift means thousands previously locked out now qualify for permanent status.

These distinctions prevent costly mistakes: applying prematurely, miscalculating absences, or missing automatic extension eligibility that could have secured permanent rights without additional applications or fees.

How to check settled status UK: Login and account access guide

Before accessing your settled status, you need a UKVI account, the government’s digital gateway for all immigration matters. A settled status check takes 5 minutes online:

1. Access the UKVI portal: Sign in using your email and password. If you’ve never created a UKVI account, select “Create account”; it requires passport details and SMS verification.
2. Verify your identity: The system asks for personal details (date of birth, passport number, contact information). This prevents unauthorised access to your data.
3. Navigate to your status dashboard: Once logged in, view settled status shows your current status (settled/pre-settled), grant date, and expiry information.
4. Generate your share code: The dashboard includes a “Get a share code” option for proving status to employers and landlords.

Login issues? What to do:

• Forgotten password: Click “Forgot your password?” and reset via email within 30 minutes.
• Lost phone number: Contact the Settlement Resolution Centre (+44 300 790 6268) to update your registered number before attempting login.
• System cannot locate your status: This indicates missing HMRC/DWP records or a processing delay; escalate to Home Office within 48 hours.
• “Session timed out” error: Simply log back in; the system auto-logs after 15 minutes of inactivity.

How to generate a share code and prove settled status

Your settled status share code is the legally required digital proof for right-to-rent and right-to-work checks.

Generate your share code in 3 steps:

1. Log into your UKVI account: Navigate to “Get a share code” on your dashboard.
2. Select validity period: Choose 30, 60, or 90 days. Most landlords prefer 30-day codes.
3. Share the code: Send your 12-digit code to your landlord or employer. They verify your immigration status instantly by entering your code + date of birth.

What landlords and employers actually see:

• Your status (settled or pre-settled)
• Expiry date (right-to-rent/work requirement)
• Employment restrictions (if applicable)
• Full visa history, personal address, family details, or past applications

If your landlord or employer rejects your code:

• Code expired: Generate a new one (2-minute process).
• “Cannot verify” error: Your status may have lapsed or absence exceeded limits; contact Home Office immediately.
• Landlord claims “code invalid”: They likely mistyped your date of birth; ask them to retry.
• Code shows restrictions: Restrictions (public-sector work bans, for example) are legally binding and cannot be overridden.

What settled status proof landlords/employers legally need:

• Valid share code
• Code verified on gov.uk checker
• Status shows “settled” (not pre-settled)
• Expiry date not passed
• Physical documents, passport copies, or old settlement letters

Settled status expiry and absence rules: What you need to know in 2026

Two absence rules govern your immigration status. Violate them and you lose permanent residence without warning.

Pre-settled status: 6-month absence limit

Pre-settled holders can be absent maximum 6 months per 12-month rolling period. Any time outside the UK counts: holidays, work, family visits. Exceed 6 months and you lose pre-settled eligibility permanently. In most cases, a new immigration application is required.

Settled status: The 2-year absence rule

Settled status holders can be absent maximum two years continuously before automatic expiry. A single absence exceeding 730 consecutive days = status lapse. This expires silently; the Home Office sends no warning letter. You only discover expiry when your landlord’s verification code fails or an employer’s right-to-work check is rejected.

What happens when your settled status expires:

• Housing: Right-to-rent verification fails; landlords cannot legally let you rent; eviction risk.
• Employment: Right-to-work checks fail; you cannot legally work; termination risk.
• Public services: NHS access suspended; benefits frozen; social housing access blocked.
• Travel: Cannot re-enter UK if you leave (no valid immigration status); stuck abroad.
• Financial: Mortgages may be recalled; bank accounts restricted, and credit rating damaged.

How to calculate your absence correctly:

1. Count all days outside UK (passport stamps, not memory).
2. Include all absences: holidays, work trips, emergencies; everything.
3. Check 2-year rolling window: 730+ consecutive days abroad?
4. Document return date precisely.
5. If over 2 years: Contact Settlement Resolution Centre ASAP.

Can you lose settled status?

Yes. Loss occurs through:

• Absence exceeding 2 years (automatic)
• Criminal conviction
• Fraud in original application
• Voluntary surrender

Updating your settled status account: Changes, verification and support

Update your account when name, address, or contact details change. Outdated information breaks your share code verification; landlords and employers reject codes if details don’t match their records.

What you can update:

• Name (marriage, deed poll, legal change)
• Address (moving house)
• Email (account access)
• Phone number (two-factor authentication)
• Passport details (renewal)
• Immigration status (Home Office only)

Update in 4 steps:

1. Log into UKVI account.
2. Click “Update your details” on dashboard.
3. Enter new information and upload supporting documents.
4. Submit for verification (processes in 5-10 working days).

Required documents:

• Proof of name change (marriage certificate or deed poll)
• Proof of address (utility bill dated within 3 months)
• Updated passport copy (if applicable)

Why updates matter: Share codes fail if details mismatch

If you’ve changed address but your settled status still shows the old one, your share code verification will fail. Landlords and employers compare provided details against what appears in the code; mismatches trigger rejection.

Contact Home Office (escalation paths):

• Online: gov.uk contact form (5-7 day response).
• Phone: Settlement Resolution Centre: +44 300 790 6268 (8am-8pm, Mon-Fri).
• Urgent: Request callback service (Home Office calls within 24 hours).

Solicitors specialising in EU Settlement Scheme matters deliver three essential benefits:

1. Appeals with professional representation succeed at 60-70% rates versus 30-40% for DIY applicants; solicitors know which evidence Home Office decisions value.
2. They decode complexity (family sponsorships, suitability assessments, multiple absences) where regulatory misinterpretation costs your application permanently.
3. They compress typical timelines: professional representation resolves cases in 2-3 months versus 6-12 months DIY.

FAQs

Can settled status expire without warning? Yes. Settled status expires automatically if you are absent from the UK for more than two consecutive years, and the Home Office does not send a warning.

How can I check my settled status in the UK? Log into your UKVI account and select “View your immigration status” to see your status, grant date, and any expiry information.

How can I prove my settled status to a landlord or employer? Generate a share code in your UKVI account and provide it with your date of birth so they can verify your status online.

How long can I be outside the UK with settled status? You can be outside the UK for up to two consecutive years. Any single absence longer than this causes your status to lapse automatically.

What should I do if my settled status cannot be verified? Landlords and employers must refuse renting or employment if verification fails. Contact the Home Office immediately to resolve the issue.

Understanding your settled status prevents costly housing and employment crises. Check your account now, verify your absence periods, and generate your share code before landlords or employers request it. Your permanent residence depends on staying informed.

This information is general guidance and does not constitute legal advice.

Get free consultation from Qredible’s immigration solicitors!

Qredible’s network of immigration solicitors specialising in EU Settlement Scheme matters provides free initial consultations to assess your situation.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Log into your UKVI account to verify your settled status, expiry date, and whether you hold permanent residence.
• Create a share code to prove your settled status to landlords and employers, satisfying legal right-to-rent and right-to-work requirements instantly.
• Settled status expires automatically after two years abroad, so verify your travel history now and contact a solicitor if you’ve exceeded this limit.