Originally Posted by Land-of-Miles

I think you are reading the T&C's too literally. Everything I have seen thus far from my own referrals suggests they will get the same status validity as if they had earned it at the time of referral so the balance of their membership year plus 12 months.

This is how the old style gold and silver referral process and earned upgrade process worked. I would be surprised if the IT allowed BA to do this any other way since membership and status years are absolutely fixed.