Many thanks for your reply Lex.

As you say, hopefully one of the moderators will be able to give their take on it too.

Regards

Sal

herewith a short summary of my situation : * Arrived in the UK December 1999 on a WHV * Switch to Work permit status in April 2001 * Switch to Unmarried Partner Visa in August 2004 (due to imminent redundancies at work) - 2 year probation given My partner with whom i hold my UPV is British by birth...