Rishi Sunak's new migrant tax: punishing the most vulnerable

Rishi Sunak’s proposal to fund a public sector pay rise through increased visa fees and NHS surcharge pits working people against each other. With an estimated 50% increase in fees, these changes will force more people into poverty, debt, and destitution.

UK visa fees are already eye-wateringly high, with migrants in this country paying some of the highest costs in Europe. The people we see at Praxis already pay thousands of pounds each time they need to renew their visa, and are struggling to afford these fees, especially as the cost of living crisis drags on. More than half of the people we spoke to in research carried out last year were struggling to afford bills and food as a result of these visa fees.

Raising fees still further risks pushing thousands deeper into poverty and insecurity. And these are people who, in many cases, have already been living in our communities, working and paying taxes for many years. It would now cost a family of four building a life in the UK almost £68,000 for visa fees.

Instead of treating people who were born outside the UK as cash cows to be tapped when the need arises, the Government should be doing everything it can to get control of the cost of living crisis and ensure that every household has the support they need.

Josephine Whitaker-Yilmaz, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Praxis:

“The impact of increasing visa fees and the NHS surcharge will fall unevenly on different groups. Those who are on work visas may not be directly affected as employers pick up the cost increase. Someone outside the UK, who is deciding whether or not to take up a place to study here may simply decide that the cost is too high to justify.
But there are thousands of people who are already here, who may have lived in the UK for several years already, may have children who are British citizens, or be married to British citizens, who may simply find themselves unable to afford the new fees. These are the people we at Praxis are most concerned about. There are likely to be individuals and families who have been saving for years already to afford their visa renewals, who will suddenly not have the money to cover the 67% rise in the Immigration Health Charge, for instance. While it’s possible to apply to waive these fees, our research found that 2/3s of people simply don’t know this is possible. Moreover, the process of applying for a fee waiver is onerous, and generally requires specialist immigration advice, which is in chronically short supply.
As a result, we expect to see more people being forced out of status by unaffordable fees. What this means is that people will lose access to essential services, find themselves vulnerable to the hostile environment. And let’s not forget that, if a person is on a long route to settlement, once they’ve been forced out of status, the clock on the route goes back to zero.”

Sally Daghlian OBE, CEO of Praxis on LBC