Email To: Request-325547-4B3d502b

MsMelWong

Email to: request-325547-4b3d502b

@whatdotheyknow.com

Reference: T4119/16

Dear MsWong

Thank you for your email of 31 March requesting information about the immigration health surcharge (IHS) refund policy, specifically why the surcharge is not refunded if a person’s leave is curtailed.

As you are aware, the Home Office does not refund a migrant if their application is successful but they do not come to the UK or leave before their visa ends. This is clearly set out in publicly available guidance (see link below), and migrants accept this position when submitting their visa applications:

The IHS is a contribution by temporary non-European Economic Area migrants, unless exempt, to the availability of the extensive range of services provided by the National Health Service (NHS). It is set at £150 per annum for students and Youth Mobility Scheme applicants, and at £200 per annum for most other temporary migrant categories.This is well below the true cost to the NHS of treating temporary migrants. The Government recognises, however, that temporary migrants may contribute to the economy in a number of ways, including by paying income tax and national insurance and this contribution is reflected in the surcharge levels, which are set below the rate that migrants might expect to pay for health insurance in our competitor countries.

Having paid the surcharge, migrants are then entitled to access the NHS on the same basis as UK residents for the duration of their lawful stay, i.e. they receive NHS care generally free of charge but may be charged for services a permanent resident would also pay for, such as dental treatment and prescription charges in England.

It would be complex and administratively difficult to set up a system whereby the surcharge was refunded on a pro rata basis. Refunds on such a basis would need to take into account, for example, whether the migrant had made use of NHS services during their stay and the Home Office does not have access to such information. It is possible that migrants might access expensive medical treatment, including for pre-existing conditions, from the time they arrive here and even if they left early, the treatment may in some cases cost far more than any surcharge paid for the length of the visa period.

The Government is committed to make the operation of the immigration health surcharge as straightforward and cost effective as possible, so that the income raised contributes to the NHS and migrants make a fair contribution. Linking the surcharge paid to the length of leave granted ensures a simple calculation, clarity for migrants and certainty for the NHS in terms of income received.

Yours sincerely

Pommy Tumber

Email: