Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

Limited leave is leave awarded for a set period and is often granted with a 'no public funds' condition so that the holder cannot claim certain social benefits. The length of the period and any other conditions (such as the right to work), depend on the type of leave being applied for (e.g. to work, to study, join a partner, etc.). For example, a wife or husband of a British citizen is usually granted two consecutive periods of limited leave of 30 months each, with no recourse to public funds but the right to work, after which s/he qualifies for settled status (provided the application is made before leave expires). Refugees and people with humanitarian protection are granted five years' limited leave with the right to work and claim benefits, after which they can apply for indefinite leave. Most applicants for indefinite leave have to pass a test of their knowledge of life in the UK and their command of English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic.