What would happen to someone on the current 2 year route if they failed the maintenance requirement at the time of application?
Would they be deported or placed onto the new 10 year path? As I understand it, they very rarely refuse on maintenance grounds using the current rules?
I've never seen anyone on the current path fail the maintenance requirement for ILR (not that there really is one, to be honest).
They essentially just have to show that they haven't accessed public funds in the 2 years and that they earn enough that they don't need to access public funds in the future.
So essentially, if they have survived sufficiently for the last 2 years without claiming public funds, then they should get ILR. If they have accessed public funds, then the ILR is likely to be refused based on illegally claiming public funds rather than on maintenance funds.
I believe at the moment, someone who is refused ILR may be granted Discretionary Leave... as they seem to be getting rid of discretionary leave, I would guess that they would transfer them to the 10 year path instead - it would depend on what it says in the transitional arrangements.
Using the current rules, how much, in savings would you need to cover the requirements for ILR, following a job loss just before the ILR application, just trying to cover all bases!
As I said, there isn't really a specific maintenance funds requirement for ILR... they just have to show that they haven't accessed and won't need to access public funds in the future (even though once they have ILR they are allowed to claim public funds anyway) - so any savings will be helpful... it's going to depend on individual circumstances.