New rule from Apr 2016 for calculating continuous period. The period of absence from entry clearance date in the visa and date actually landing into UK will now be part of 180 days.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 1_2015.pdf
Applications for settlement made
before 6 April 2016
You can include time between your
entry clearance being granted and
you entering the United Kingdom as
part of your continuous period but
only if the delay is less than 90 days.
Absences between the date entry
clearance is granted and the date you
enter the United Kingdom are not
treated as an absence from the
United Kingdom and do not form part
of the 180 days allowed within the
relevant 12 month period.
If the delay is more than 90 days, the
earliest date you can include in your
continuous period will be the date you
enter the United Kingdom.
Applications for settlement made
on or after 6 April 2016
You can include time between your
entry clearance being granted and
you entering the United Kingdom as
part of your continuous period.
Absences between the date entry
clearance is granted and the date you
enter the United Kingdom are treated
as an absence from the United
Kingdom and will form part of the 180
days allowed within the relevant 12
month period.
For example, if you entered the
United Kingdom 100 days after you
obtained entry clearance and have a
further 81 days absence during the
remainder of that 12 month period,
you will have exceed the number of
Tier 2 Policy Guidance (Version 11/2015) Page 62
absences permitted from the United
Kingdom