New rules block stays in the UK for NHS debtors
The government have changed the Immigration Rules to deny permission to enter or remain in the UK for anyone who fails to pay off their debts for NHS treatment. These changes were proposed in March, and announced on this website at the time.The changes to the Immigration Rules came into effect on 10 October 2011 and they now mean that any person who fails to settle an outstanding bill for treatment of £1000 or more will not be allowed to enter or remain in the UK until the debt is paid.
The changes were first announced in a consultation begun last year and carried out by the UKBA.
It is hoped that this threshold of £1000 will encompass 94% of debts owed to the NHS by migrants. This change means that people who owe money like this will not be able to renew their visa at all, or transfer to another category, until the debt is paid.
The NHS will now be supplying information about its debtors to the UKBA on a regular basis. The UKBA will use this information to identify debtors and refuse their applications automatically. The arrangements for sharing this information will be brought into place over coming months.
The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Damian Green MP, said that: ‘The NHS is designed to meet the healthcare needs of the UK and we won’t tolerate abuse of this service.
‘We welcome overseas visitors, but those who use NHS facilities need to pay for them, or they will be barred from coming here.
‘It’s very simple - pay up or you won’t be welcome in the UK.’
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