What is the difference between ILR and BRP?

[justintime69]

I've got an ILR which is unfortunately back in the UK in storage in my old expired passport, which doesn't help me much here in SA. I was told at 1st I'd need to apply as a returning resident. I've been outside the UK for about 7 months now and I thought this application would be more applicable for residents who have been away for a number of years. Also it has a hefty fee of about £800! I did some research and found out about a single entry visa for people wanting to replace a biometric resident permit (at only £70) which sounded a lot better. Isn't an ILR and a BRP pretty much the same thing, apart from one being a sticker in your passport and the other being a card, aren't they fundamentally the same thing? I have a resident permit number so how can there be no record of my existance?
I applied for the single entry and was informed via the technology of automated message via a text message, that it was ready to collect at the local British Home Office, went to collect it, with them only to return my passport, including a letter stating I would need to apply for a returning settlement permit as there was no record of me having a BRP, in a grey FedX bag of dissapointment...
This is true in a sense but I do however have an ILR. I'm due to return to my job in Cornwall on 27th May and need answers fairly promtly please! As it being weekend, everything is shut, so not much else I can do till monday anyway...
Any useful advice would be greatly recieved!

[Lucapooka]

Indefinite leave to remain is a type of immigration status. A BRP is plastic identity card.

[geriatrix]

Instead of a vignette in the passport, in-country leave to remain in many categories including settlement is now issued on a plastic card - a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).

Single entry visa, that you seem to have applied for, is issued to people who have lost their BRP while abroad .... to enable them to travel to UK and then apply for a replacement BRP. But since you were never issued settlement on a BRP, this isn't for you.

If you have been away from UK for less than 2 years, then you may travel to UK with your ILR. Isn't there a way you can get your passport with ILR delivered to you in SA? If you can, there is no need for you to apply for a visa ... as your ILR is still valid.

An application for entry clearance as returning resident is to be made using VAF4B.