Hike to immigration health surcharge will ‘penalise’ NHS workers from overseas, campaigners say

12 March 2020

Ministers have been accused of “penalising” much-needed healthcare workers from overseas and pricing people out of immigration status after the Chancellor announced a hike to NHS fees for migrants.

Rishi Sunak announced during his Budget speech on Wednesday that the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) – paid annually by migrants living in Britain – would increase from £400 to £624 to ensure that that “what people get out, they also put in”…

Vanessa Ganguin, managing partner at Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law, accused Mr Sunak of using “dog-whistle politics” when announcing the fee increase, by framing the IHS as a “charge to stop people abusing the system”.

“The measure may sadly prove to be another discouragement to those who would come to the UK to work in the NHS and contribute to taxes here, while perpetuating the populist fallacy of immigrants taking advantage of the system,” she added.