Migrants paying for NHS treatment is ‘only fair’ as Britons support higher fee
Prime Minister tackles questions on latest immigration figures
Suella Braverman’s Home Office has called for the annual surcharge paid by visa and immigration applicants in the UK to access the NHS to be increased to £2,000.
Plans to raise the charge from £624 to £2,000 and increase the amount migrant workers must earn from £26,200 to £38,000 to qualify for a visa are being considered as part of tougher immigration rules to help cut record migration levels.
A source told Express.co.uk: “The points-based system is far too generous. Other countries think we are too generous.
“We need to make changes to make it tougher, such as on the health surcharge and raising the salary threshold, but the Treasury is the block.”
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is resisting attempts to tighten the system over fears it will impact economic growth. But a new Express.co.uk poll has shown widespread support for migrants paying their way.
READ MORE: Tories split over tough plans to charge migrants £2,000 for NHS treatment
In response, Express.co.uk ran a poll from 1pm on Tuesday, July 4, to 2pm on Wednesday, July 5, asking readers: “Should migrant workers pay £2,000 for NHS treatment?”
Overall, 6,145 readers responded, and the most common response, with 54 percent (3,344 people) was “Yes — it’s only fair they pay their way”.
In the dozens of comments left below the accompanying article, many readers thought migrant workers should contribute.
Username MJav wrote: “It is only fair that they pay for services they haven’t contributed to, while the rest of us have been paying for it all our working life.”
Another, username tricky english remarked: “Absolutely it is fair. No one should get something that leaves the state out of pocket when they haven’t paid in.”
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A further 41 percent (2,509 people) answered “No – £2,000 is not enough, they should pay more”.
One reader, username gay1 said: “Absolutely they should pay, £2,000 is too cheap.” While username macaron agreed, writing that they should pay “much, much more”.
Username oldpoacher remarked: “They should pay more. They must pay for what they use, just like everyone else and costs have gone up.”
Others pointed out that migrant workers should take out health insurance to cover the cost. Username mreed explained: “£2,000 isn’t enough and wouldn’t even cover one treatment. Any migrant coming here to work or live should have to have full private medical insurance for themselves and anyone else they bring with them.”
And username roddavidson added: “They should pay the full cost not just £2,000. It’s called health insurance.”
While four percent (253 people) answered that “they shouldn’t have to pay anything” and should receive healthcare for free. Whereas one perent (39 people) said they did not know.
Username SaraMay said: “If they are working and paying income tax they should get the same as us for any new condition.”
Similarly, username 7th Earl of Sidcup questioned: “If they are workers then they are paying tax which funds the NHS, so why should they have to pay twice?”
Ms Braverman told the House of Commons earlier this week that the UK’s immigration policy is “under constant review”.
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