8 October 2020

The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is a fee which was introduced in 2015, paid by most non-European Economic Area (EEA) nationals applying for limited UK immigration permission to work, study or join family members for more than six months. The IHS is paid as part of a UK immigration application and was put in place for individuals to access the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) whilst living in the UK.

The IHS is currently set at £400 per year per person for most individuals applying for limited permission to enter or remain in the UK. Students, dependants of students and Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) (YMS) applicants benefit from a reduced rate of £300 per year.

There are a number of individuals who are currently exempt from paying the IHS. This includes diplomats, asylum seekers, those applying for humanitarian protection, those applying under the European Settlement Scheme and, as of recently, NHS health and social care workers. EEA nationals entering the UK from January 2021 will be required to pay the IHS fees.

Earlier this year, the Government announced that from 1 October 2020, the IHS would be increasing to £624 per year for most adult applicants. The fee for students, dependants of students, YMS applicants and children shall be increasing to £470 per year per person.

The change marks a substantial increase in the overall cost of UK visa applications, which individual applicants and employers shall need to budget for. There is also some controversy over the IHS, given that many individuals contribute to the NHS through taxes. A family of four with two children applying for UK visas under the Tier 2 category (or Skilled Worker category from 2021) on the basis of a five year period of sponsorship will now have to pay £10,940 in IHS fees alone (representing an increase of nearly £3,000). This is in addition to the application fee, priority fees and any applicable relocation costs.

A new order stipulating that the increased IHS would take effect 21 days after the order received Parliamentary approval was made into law on 6 October 2020. Accordingly, the IHS increase shall now apply from 27 October 2020.

In light of the imminent change, individuals may wish to take action now and apply for initial immigration permission or extensions in the UK whilst the IHS remains at the current level.

Get in touch

For further information on recent and forthcoming changes to UK immigration law, visit the UK immigration system FAQs on our website, or contact your assigned LDI lawyer or enquiries@lauradevine.com.