The Home Office introduced the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) in 2015. This was applicable to all non – EU nationals who were applying to enter the United Kingdom on a visa. Type of visas included was to join a family member, work, and study for a period longer than 6 months. The purpose behind was to ensure temporary migrants will make a fair contribution to the system, the NHS has a range of different services that can be used by any applicant who is living in the United Kingdom.
Other countries require the applicants to have a private health insurance before they can apply for a visa, but the British government believes that private insurance can be more expensive than the NHS fees. The income from the Immigration Health Charge goes directly into the NHS and has raised approximately £900 Million to date.
Once the migrant pays the health charge, they may have access to the NHS on the same basis as any other resident in the UK. Let’s face it there are several changes taking place in the British Economy and its Governing policies.
As the Secretary of State Mrs Priti Patel said regarding the surcharge on an ITV interview:
“We have a range of measures that are, like most things in government, under review, and we are looking at everything including visas, surcharge. We are looking at everything we can do to continue to support everyone on the frontline in the NHS.”
Since then, the Home Office has confirmed that the Immigration Health Surcharge is set to stand and the increase from £400 to £624 as of the 1st of October 2020. This will increase the fees for many, but we can look on the bright side that Immigration health surcharge will not be required when applying for Indefinite leave to remain or your British Citizenship.
From the 1st of January 2021, the new immigration system will take effect after the United Kingdom transitional period ends on the 31st of Dec 2020. From that moment onward any EU migrant entering the United Kingdom regardless of their nationality must pay the IHS, which is showing some equality in the system when compared to non-EU Nationals. The student and those on the youth mobility scheme will have a discounted rate of £470 per year and a new discounted rate for all children under 18. The discounted rate for the children is yet to be confirmed by the Home Office.
After the challenging work of the NHS worker during the COVID-19, the right thing to do from the government was to announce that all NHS worker will be exempt from paying the HIS. They recently published a Coronavirus Bereavement Scheme which benefits all family member of any NHS worker who died because of coronavirus to receive Indefinite Leave to Remain immediately and free of charge.
Update (27/10/2020) – The Immigration health surcharge will now increase from today as previously suggested by the Home Office. This change was supposed to be implemented on the 1st of October 2020. There was a delay in the change as Immigration Health Charge Amendment Order 2020 was filed late on the 6th of October 2020
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