Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) increasing from 16 january 2024
Immigration health surcharge will increase from 16 January 2024 to £1,035 per year for adults.
On 16 January 2024 or later, the immigration health surcharge will increase from £470 per year to £776 per year for children, students, their dependants and youth mobility workers. The charge will increase from £624 per year to a whopping £1,035 per year for everyone else.
The Immigration (Health Charge) (Amendment) Order 2023
According to the immigration health charge amendment order 2023, the immigration health surcharge known as NHS fee will go up from 16 January 2023.
new immigration health surcharge known as NHS fee
In July 2023, the Government announced an intention to increase the IHS, however the date of implementation was not stated.
Draft regulations now confirm the following rises will take place from 16 January 2024 at the earliest:
| Immigration Category | Current IHS per year (GBP) | New IHS per year (GBP) |
| Student, Student dependant, Youth Mobility scheme and applications made by children under 18 on the date of application | 470 | 776 |
| All other relevant immigration categories | 624 | 1035 |
What is the IHS?
The IHS is mandatory NHS fee for most visa applicants and is usually payable before the application fee. It is charged per year of permission requested. Payment of the IHS enables immigrants to gain access to the National Health Service in the UK, throughout the duration of their visa.
Who has to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge
Anyone applying for a visa to work or study in the UK or to join their family for a period of more than six months have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. Also, people with a temporary status in the UK applying for extension or a variation of their immigration status have to pay the IHS. There is an exemption for he Health and Care Workers and for people applying under Ukraine Family Scheme, but generally it is charged across all types of visas
Has the NHS surcharge increased?
The NHS surcharge will increase from 16 January 2024.
What is the current UK IHS fee?
The current UK IHS fee in October 2023 is £470 for student, children and dependents and £624 per year for all other applicants. However, this is increasing from £470 to £776 per year and £624 to £1035 per year.
Dependent children under the age of 18, students and their dependants and Youth Mobility applicants are currently charged £470 per year. This will increase to £776.
How the increase of the IHS will impact a family of 5
Let us consider an example of a family of five – two adults with three children applying for leave to enter as a Skilled Worker with dependants coming to the UK for 3 years.
Currently, a family of 5 with the main applicant as a sponsored Skilled Worker, but not a Health and Care Worker, pay £624 x 3 x 2 = £3744 for the two adults, and £470 x 3 x 3 = £4230 for the three children. In total this adds up to £7974.
After 16 January 2024, the figures will be £1035 x 3 x 2 = £6210 for the adults and £776 x 3 x 3 = £6984 for the children, making the total of £13,194.