FM meaning

This quick-reference checklist supports calculating whether an applicant meets the relevant thresholds for eligibility under family immigration routes. It specifically helps with reviewing both the main financial requirement and the adequate maintenance requirement for routes under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules... Which financial requirement applies? New application from 11 April 2024: £29,000 Renewal or extension from 11 April 2024 (including fiancés converting to partner): £18,600 (plus applicant child increment, capped at £29,000) Pending application made before 11 April 2024: £18,600 (plus applicant child increment, no cap) Sponsoring applicant in receipt of a specified benefit or applying on a specified route (e.g. as a parent): Adequate maintenance based on current income support rates (see below) Where applicable, child increments are: +£3,800 for the first child and +£2,400 for each extra child; e.g. +1 child = £22,400, +2 children = £24,800, +3 children = £27,200, and +4 children = £29,600 (unless capped at £29,000). British children and those with leave under...

This Flowchart This flowchart sets out the principal stages and key factors for determining whether a party can validly rely on contractual force majeure (FM) provisions in the context of an active conflict or war. For fuller guidance on each of these factors, within the context of FM affecting energy sector contracts, consult: War and force majeure in the energy sector—checklist...

Checklist Intensifying geopolitical conflict — including open hostilities, regional volatility, cyber interference and closure of sea lanes — can exert rapid, multifaceted strain on energy-sector contracts. This checklist offers a structured, practical approach to evaluating force majeure (FM) risk in an active conflict or war setting, and to judging whether FM can be effectively invoked under English law. It also maps how that assessment intersects with frustration and contractual termination rights, and sets out drafting considerations for parties to weigh in future transactions so that FM provisions expressly address war risks. It is intended for legal and commercial teams operating across oil and gas, LNG, trading, infrastructure and energy supply chains, where disruption frequently stems from direct physical impossibility at the point of delivery, or indirectly via upstream or downstream domino effects. The objective is not solely to test the viability of an FM claim, but also to enable informed, risk-aware choices in rapidly evolving conflict environments. This checklist focuses on FM arising from war-related physical and operational disruption....

This Flowchart sets out the principal stages and factors for determining whether a party can properly rely upon contractual force majeure (FM) clauses in the context of an ongoing conflict or war. For further, more comprehensive guidance on each of these factors as they apply to FM affecting energy sector contracts, see: War and force majeure in the energy sector—checklist...

In this issue: Key developments UK immigration control: how it works Family members under Part 8 and Appendix FM Challenging immigration decisions and enforcement Citizenship applications Daily and weekly news alerts New Q&As Key developments Future developments—Immigration calendar Note that our Immigration calendar sets out key forthcoming developments relevant to business immigration advisers. UK immigration control: how it works Home Secretary statement on direction of legal migration policy The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, addressed Parliament on the direction of the new Labour government’s future policy on legal migration. She reaffirmed a focus on aligning migration policy with skills and the labour market—a ‘new approach’—to be delivered through a cross‑government programme set out in the pre‑election manifesto and the newly announced Skills England body highlighted in the King’s speech. She also confirmed that ministers will press ahead with the majority of the previous administration’s ‘five‑point plan’ measures. This reflects the government’s view—shared with its...

Analysis of changes to the Immigration Rules in HC 836 This review outlines the key amendments to the Immigration Rules (the Rules) contained in HC 836. The Statement of Changes, accompanied by an Explanatory Memorandum (EM), was published on 24 June 2025. For advice on interpreting a Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules, see Practice Note: Sources of immigration law and their legal status. Implementation Commencement dates differ and are set out in each section below. Most provisions take effect on 16 or 29 July 2025, with certain measures commencing on 17 July 2025. Appendix EU A substantial revision alters the definition of ‘continuous qualifying period’. Where a person with pre-settled status has not been continuously resident in the UK since the end of the transition period at 11pm GMT on 31 December 2020, they may still qualify for settled status if they hold pre-settled leave and have lived in the UK for at least 30 months within the preceding 60 months; this applies to...

Banking & Finance—November 2025 case round-up Westfield Park Ltd v Harworth Estates Investments Ltd [2025] EWCA Civ 1374 Interpretation of contract—deferred consideration clause The Court of Appeal upheld Westfield Park Ltd’s appeal against HHJ Klein’s ruling on the correct construction of an agreement dated 14 October 2021 (the ‘Agreement’) for the sale and purchase of York Holiday Park Development. The key question was whether the judge at first instance had properly read a deferred consideration provision in Schedule 4 as triggering an additional payment from Westfield to Harworth Estates Investments Ltd when the Coal Authority confirmed that static caravans could be located within a ‘Zone of Influence’ surrounding two mineshafts. The appellate court criticised the departure from the contractual wording in favour of a purposive construction of the relevant terms. It held that the judge failed to begin with the objective, natural meaning of the Agreement and did not correctly apply the established principles of contractual interpretation reaffirmed in Arnold v Britton and Wood v Capita Insurance...

Category Whose income?...

Where a sponsoring partner receives one or more specified benefits, partners and dependent children applying under Appendix FM are not required to meet a minimum income threshold for the five-year route to settlement; instead, the applicable financial assessment is the test of 'adequate maintenance'. The 'adequate maintenance' criterion also applies to the following categories: parents applying under Appendix FM, other family members applying under Appendix Adult Dependent Relative, applications under Appendix Child Relative (Sponsors with Protection), and children of settled parents applying under Part 8 of the Immigration Rules, however, under Part 8 there are important differences regarding the treatment of third-party support and offers of employment. It remains unlikely that partners or other family members will now apply under Part 8 of the Immigration Rules; nevertheless, advisers may still encounter someone who has, for whatever reason, remained on that route without obtaining settlement and who may therefore be able to benefit from the transitional provisions. For more information...

Project documents This Practice Note offers an overview of several widely used agreements and papers in a PFI/PF2 scheme, though the precise suite adopted will turn on the particular project. In the 2018 Budget (delivered on 29 October 2018), the government stated that PF2 will not be used for new schemes (see News Analysis: Budget 2018—what does it mean for infrastructure and housebuilding?). That said, existing PFI and PF2 arrangements will remain in operation and, given the usual term of such projects, are expected to continue for many years... Project Agreement This is the core contract in any PFI arrangement. It records the full set of terms and conditions governing the relationship between the Authority and Project Co/SPV for the life of the project. Where Project Co/SPV is granted a concession (ie the exclusive right to supply/operate/exploit something to create third party revenue), the Project Agreement may be described as a concession agreement. Typically a substantial document, it is often divided into multiple sections for manageability. Under...

[ Insert your current residential address ] Entry Clearance Officer, [ Insert address of decision-making centre to which the application is being sent ] [ Insert date ] Dear [ insert organisation name ] Application for entry clearance as a [ spouse OR civil partner OR unmarried partner ] under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules I am a national of [ insert nationality ] and the [ spouse OR civil partner OR unmarried partner ] of [ insert name of sponsoring partner ]. My birth date is [ insert date of birth ] and my age is currently [ insert age ]. I confirm that I am not related to [ insert name of sponsoring partner ] in any manner that is barred for [ marriage OR civil partnership ] in the UK...

A. Documents for main applicant Evidence of the sponsor parent(s)' income and funds: Examples of suitable evidence are set out below. While a six-month span is not mandated by the Immigration Rules, it is recommended as a reasonable timeframe for demonstrating income and savings. Payslips for the previous six months (for employed persons). And/or proof of business or self-employment income for at least the last six months, such as: (a) Letter from a registered accountant for the business confirming the sponsor parent(s)’ income during that period. (b) Invoices. (c) Business accounts. Personal bank or building society statements or passbooks covering the past six months. Any accountant providing a supporting letter must be registered with an appropriate professional regulatory body. Bank or building society statements should show what has been paid in and out of the accounts for the past six months...

[ Insert your full residential address ] [ Insert Home Office address where application is being posted ] [ Insert date ] Dear [ insert organisation name ] Letter of support of leave to remain application of [ insert name of child(ren), nationalit(ies) and date(s) of birth ] I am [ insert the applicant parent’s nationality ] by nationality, and serve as the [ state the child(ren)’s relationship ] to [ insert name(s) of child(ren) ] named above here. I am presently living in the UK and am seeking leave to remain as the partner of [ insert name of sponsoring partner ] concurrently with [ insert name(s) of child(ren) ] in this application now...

Long residence and private life resources—overview The ten-year long residence route set out in the Immigration Rules, Part 7, does not allow dependants to submit applications alongside the principal applicant. This means joint filing is not available under this route. Dependants may, however, apply independently where they satisfy the criteria of the relevant rule. By way of illustration, if a husband and wife have each been lawfully present in the UK for ten continuous years, they must each file their own separate applications under the long residence provisions. See Immigration Rules, Part 7, para 276B–276C. When a Tier 2 (General) migrant secures indefinite leave to remain (ILR) through the long residence rules, their spouse may have scope to seek leave to remain as the spouse of a settled person under Immigration Rules, Appendix FM (see Practice Note: Partners applying for limited leave to remain under Appendix FM: eligibility tables)...