Immigration Health Surcharge to increase to £624 per year

Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) will increase from £400 to £624. International students and those entering on the Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) will also see their contributions increase from £300 to £470. The government will also introduce a discounted rate of £470 for children ‘in recognition of the increased financial impact of family groups’. These increases aim to ensure ‘that the new arrivals to the UK contribute to the funding of the NHS’. 

The government seems to imply that immigrants do not contribute to the NHS by paying National Insurance and taxes. It is difficult to understand on what grounds this assertion is made.

It appears the be yet another manifestation of divisive policy of the current government, together with a desperate attempt to tax the group which is guaranteed to remain silent, at least for some time.