The 10-Year Settlement Rule: A “Cliff Edge” for UK Innovation

We are facing a crisis that many UK businesses haven’t spotted yet.

The government’s proposal to extend the settlement route from 5 to 10 years is not just a policy tweak—it is an immediate threat to UK retention and growth.

At Singer Instruments, we are fighting to keep integral, talented people. People who have built their lives in Somerset for over 4 years, only to have the goalposts moved just before the finish line. The result? We are risking a “brain drain” of world-class talent to Canada and other countries, where the pathway is stable and fair.

We are publishing two documents today:

1. Our Business Case: Detailing how this policy damages high-tech regional employers.
2. A Personal Impact Statement: A heartbreaking read from one of our Senior Engineers on how retrospective changes threaten to split up British families and force home-owners out of the UK.

Please read these. If you employ Skilled Workers, this affects you. We must demand Transitional Arrangements to honor the promise made to those already contributing to our economy.

A consultation is going on right now, you can help influence this!

https://ukhomeoffice.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1yMmiaG7zqwPuM6

A personal Impact Statement

Our Business Case