Migrant 'health surcharge' to raise £200 million a year
From: Home Office, James Brokenshire MP and UK Visas and Immigration
First published:19 March 2015
Part of:Borders and immigration
The government is set to recoup up to £1.7 billion over the next ten years to help pay for the cost of NHS treatment given to temporary migrants.
Source
Immigration health surcharge: information for migrants
From: Home Office and UK Visas and Immigration
First published:19 March 2015
This document contains information about the immigration health surcharge, which will be introduced on 6 April.
The health surcharge means that temporary, non-EEA migrants coming to the UK for more than six months will contribute to the NHS.
The health surcharge will be set at £200 a year for temporary migrants and £150 a year for students.
IMMIGRATION HEALTH SURCHARGE
Originally Posted by Terpe
's daylight robbery! Neither fair NOR lawful IMO
... considering the vast majority of married non-EEA immigrant partners are working and therefore already paying Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions towards healthcare out of their [often] hard-earned wages.
£200 a year is a bargain. I agree with the charge.
£16.66 per month, don't mind paying as long as it applies to EU members also, I bet those living in Philippines wish that was all they had to pay for Healthcare!
Should have been imposed years ago
About time too. Totally ridiculous that foreigners can sponge off the taxpayer in this way, as well as receiving billions in 'overseas aid' from us MUGS.
The sooner we get out of the EU and relieve ourselves of those parasites the better also.
... WHY are so many of our prominent members in favour of this surcharge?
Because it makes sense. While there may be a minority of people such as our partners who are affected for a few years until they get residency, the vast majority of health tourists need clamping down on. This is a small step. Personally I think all healthcare should only be given upon showing our national ID card... (mind you, I was in favour of the Poll Tax too).
I object to waiting times being extended and my taxes paying for treatment to scheming, freeloading grubs. We have enough of our own sick and elderly who should get priority
I agree on the part that it should apply across the board. People from the EU are also immigrants in my book.£16.66 per month, don't mind paying as long as it applies to EU members also, I bet those living in Philippines wish that was all they had to pay for Healthcare!
Whilstin principle with most of the reasons expressed, nobody yet appears to've endorsed the point I've been trying to get across in #3, i.e., how on earth can the Government justify extracting this supplement from those immigrants who've married a British national, gained employment here and already pay tax & *NI Contributions (the *latter supposedly intended to cover them for free - yes FREE - healthcare [at source] ... as it does us!)?
Surely, then, on that basis alone, the implementation of the new legislation cannot be right ...... or, indeed, legal.
I'm really not happy about it.
But that's only because its an added expense on top of everything I have to find to pay for this spouse visa.
I can understand the reasons behind it though.
I don’t make value judgements on the Forum, but the facts are these :-
• £ 200 / year is less than a tenth of the average cost of health care per capita in the UK. Total UK NHS expenditure was over £ 140 billion ( 2012 ), with spending on each person nearly £ 2,400.
• Health of non-UK born individuals living in the UK can , for various reasons, be less good than the rest of the population - actual cost of treatment may exceed the per capita average.
• For example, it costs about £ 5,000 to treat each case of TB in the UK - much more if it's multidrug resistant. Pre-screening in the Philippines and other countries ONLY detects active TB - latent TB ( no symptoms ) may still develop into active TB years later.
• It’s enlightened self-interest to aim for universal health coverage and a good public health service. TB and ebola are examples of how a risk to one person, community, or nation, becomes a risk to other people, communities and nations.
• Treating and maintaining health of all migrants can’t be paid entirely by UK taxpayers.
Told you all this would happen sooner rather than later. Now when did I say I was going to win the Lotto?
Yet again introduced because of non-Filipinos abusing our welfare system.
All 'immigrants' from outside the EU tarred with the same brush.
Arthur I totally agree with you and I'm going to blow my mind over this.Whilst
Surely, then, on that basis alone, the implementation of the new legislation cannot be right ...
It's a total disgrace that spouses of British Citizens are made to pay this especially as they are en route to permanent residency and obviously British Citizenship and, as you said, paying tax & NI as my wife does.
Regards to others agreeing, but this is another thorn in the side and financial burden to those who have to cope with the insurgant money grabbing b******s we call this government.
Let's say I refuse to pay this, would my girl be thrown out? No I believe not - under Article 8 of ECH she would not - but, as a soft-hearted BRITISH CITIZEN, to support the dregs of society and the crap that is infesting this once good country of ours, I will pay this surcharge.......
Mmm....... Maybe I should of put my lady on the back of a lorry in Calais.....
Arthur, my friend, a well deserved rep, tried to but have to spread them around, owe you one....
For me? Well, I don't mind this charge, and I guess it's fair until my wife has ILR or citizenship. But as has been pointed out, I wish it was across the board for Europeans as well.
£200 per year isn't a lot for the service you get and we already pay for dental treatment - even on the NHS.
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained"
"It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all" Lord Tenneson.
Had to take the wife to the doctor's yesterday. EE Woman at the counter clearly had the appointment booked for her as she couldn't speak a word of English and couldn't even tell the receptionist her date of birth. She then asks for a translator which the receptionist declines as her appointment is to close. In the end the receptionist says she will not be seen by a doctor unless she can find someone to translate either by phone or in person.EE male walks in and receptionist asks him to fill in a form for foreigners that my wife had also been asked to complete. He starts to abuse the receptionist and must confess I came close to getting involved but the wife was there so thought better of it.
Decided to take the wife to A&E at St Georges last night and the same thing. Half the punters couldn't speak English. EE young bloke kicking off and a Doctor and nurse trying to pacify him instead of just telling him tooff.
I must confess I regularly get feelings of rage whenever I visit NHS establishments and it's nearly always caused bytaking foreigners.
This is pure tokenism. £200 million a year is a drop in the ocean. Eastern Europeans are probably claiming that fortnightly in benefits.
On a personal level my wife has paid tax and national insurance since arriving here and as she is married to a British Citizen I'm not sure it's entirely fair that she should pay this. However something has to be done. My honest belief it that there is far more money to be saved in not letting the scroungers come in the first place. But that's not going to happen regardless of who wins the General Election.
A complete disgrace Marco - the Hospital should have got the Police inHad to take the wife to the doctor's yesterday. EE Woman at the counter clearly had the appointment booked for her as she couldn't speak a word of English and couldn't even tell the receptionist her date of birth. She then asks for a translator which the receptionist declines as her appointment is to close. In the end the receptionist says she will not be seen by a doctor unless she can find someone to translate either by phone or in person.
Decided to take the wife to A&E at St Georges last night and the same thing. Half the punters couldn't speak English. EE young bloke kicking off and a Doctor and nurse trying to pacify him instead of just telling him to
I must confess I regularly get feelings of rage whenever I visit NHS establishments and it's nearly always caused by
This is pure tokenism. £200 million a year is a drop in the ocean. Eastern Europeans are probably claiming that fortnightly in benefits.
On a personal level my wife has paid tax and national insurance since arriving here and as she is married to a British Citizen I'm not sure it's entirely fair that she should pay this. However something has to be done. My honest belief it that there is far more money to be saved in not letting the scroungers come in the first place. But that's not going to happen regardless of who wins the General Election.
Yes, I was in favour of Poll Tax also!
Personally I was dead against it. Very unfair taxation in my view.Yes, I was in favour of Poll Tax also!
Sorry Fred, but I saw it as a way to deter people from having kids to claim benefits, just my opinion!
Oh great, so this applies to my wife, who is working silly hours and pays loads of tax, so we can pay fat bingo-winged Jeremy Kyle wannabees to have their smoking/obesity treated or tasteless tattoos removed on the NHS.
Besides everyone knows EXACTLY who are really taking the piss, it's them who need cracking down on
Thank you, so much Mark for being one of the [very] few
Arthur, my friend, a well deserved rep, tried to but have to spread them around. Owe you one....to back me up on this issue. Although I'm not affected personally, I genuinely feel for those who will be after next month.
Thanks, too for trying to give me rep for my efforts. Perhaps one of the few others who share my views, might oblige... if I'm lucky!
Hmm ...on my part. Anyway, it's the thought that counts.
Arthur I'm also on your side on this one.Thank you, so much Mark for being one of the [very] few
Thanks, too for trying to give me rep for my efforts. Perhaps one of the few others who share my views, might oblige
Hmm ...
My wife will be working here and will pay her contributions
I have worked hard all my life and contributed.
Why should I be penalised because the government has been so idiotic as to allow the situation to have gotten to this?
This possibly wouldn't have happened if things had been more strict for illegal immigrants and health tourists in the past.
I feel like I will be paying for the government's mistakes.
The UK government can only impose immigration rules to non EEA countries coz they can't do anything about those from the EU. We are just a bunch of easy targets in their eyes. I feel sorry for all those partners of the members here who will apply for visas. Most often than not, they will end up working their butts off without having any recourse to public fund for 5 years, pay taxes, contribute to NI and now even pay for NHS. Take note, that's in addition to all the visa costs.
-=rayna.keith=-
...When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible...
Thanks to you also, Phil ... for your support ... it's the way the Government intends to collect the extra cash (by lumping it onto already outrageously hefty visa fees) - rather than the amount itself - that bugs me
Thank the Lord for people of the calibre of Terpe and Joe Bloggs ... we owe these two men a TREMENDOUS debt of gratitude for their sterling work on members' behalf!
Let's try to keep this thread to the forefront as much as possible. Yes, I'm aware it's been made a 'sticky' ... but even stickies are apt to disappear off the radar as time passes,
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