Rules for UK nationals to bring home foreign spouses changed after outcry
Ministers have watered down plans to increase salary threshold for those bringing a foreign spouse to the UK to £38,000, documents suggest.
Home Office small print indicates the salary threshold will be increased to £29,000 – almost £10,000 lower than initially announced at the start of the month.
Ministers unveiled changes to legal migration rules which would have prevented most UK national from brining a foreign husband, wife or partner to live in the UK.
Only those earning £38,700 or more would be entitled to sponsor dependants under the new regime, due to be implemented next year – more than double the current salary threshold of £18,600.
The announcement sparked outcry from those concerned it would force all but wealthy families apart.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said at the time that the change would “ensure that people only bring dependants who they can support financially”.
But in Government documents, published on Thursday, the Home Office states the salary threshold would “initially” rise to £29,000. It does not specify when this would increase further.
It stated: “A decision was taken to increase the family Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) in line with the standard Skilled Worker general threshold.
“This would see the MIR increase to median earnings for jobs at the skill level of RQF3, currently £38,700.
“As part of a staged implementation, an initial increase to the 25th percentile of RQF3 jobs of £29,000 will be enacted initially and this initial implementation level is assessed in this paper.”
It goes on to suggest that, based on the £29,000 salary figure, the policy would “have an impact on the number of family migrants deterred in the low tens of thousands”.
It does not specify plans to gradually increase the threshold after a certain date.
In a separate fact sheet, the Home Office stated it would be raising the minimum income for family visas incrementally “to give predictability to families”.
“In Spring 2024 we will raise the threshold to £29,000, that is the 25th percentile of earnings for jobs,” it said.
This will move to the 40th percentile (£34,500) and the 50th percentile (£38,700) but no specific timeline was set out.
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said that it was “clear to everyone” that the raising of the earnings threshold was “unworkable”.
“This was yet another half thought through idea to placate the hardliners on their own back benches,” he said.
“James Cleverly needs to put down the spade and stop digging. Decisions like this should be made by experts and politicians working together.
“He should also publish the advice from the Treasury and OBR about the impact that his package of changes will have on the economy.”
