New ‘Health Surcharge’ to be paid by migrants from 6 April 2015

From 6th of April 2015 nationals from outside the EEA coming to the UK for longer than six months will be required to pay a ‘health surcharge’ when they apply for visas. It will also be paid by non-EEA nationals already in the UK who apply to extend their stay. Migrants coming to work, study or join family members currently receive free NHS treatment in the same way as a permanent resident.

The health surcharge will be £200 per year and £150 per year for students, payable upfront and for the total period of time for which migrants are given permission to stay in the UK.

The money collected by the Home Office will be passed to the health departments in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Non-EEA nationals visiting the UK on a tourist visa will not pay the health surcharge, but will continue to be fully liable for the costs of any NHS treatment at the point they receive it.

Alongside the introduction of the health surcharge, the Department of Health is working on proposals that will mean from April non-EEA visitors who use the NHS will be charged 150% of the cost of their treatment. This means that for a £100 procedure, they could be billed £150.