I asked an immigration lawyer today whether there's any rule impeding people from applying for Settled Status and later also applying for a document certifying Permanent Residency (DCPR).
There's no such rule - given the two applications are made based on two separate sets of legislation.
I'd asked in relation to the case of my parent - currently finding the EEA (PR) application as a dependent parent too complex, so will apply for Settled Status.
However, Settled Status is not backdated, so implies a 1 year wait to apply for Citizenship (unless married to a Brit).
So she'll apply for settled status (which will be free), see if she's successful - then eventually also apply for PR (£65 fee), which if succesfully backdated with QP 2012-2017 will mean she'll be able to apply for citizenship immediately.
This also means that if Brexit is stopped, she has EU documentation to prove her rights here
