How much is the Immigration Health Surcharge?
Short answer
£1,035 a year for adults and £776 a year for children and students, paid upfront for the whole length of the visa. A five-year Skilled Worker visa therefore costs £5,175 in surcharge alone, and every dependant pays in full. Health and Care Worker and Global Talent visa holders are exempt.
The Immigration Health Surcharge is charged on most visa applications for a stay of more than six months, and it is separate from — and on top of — the visa fee itself. The rate is £1,035 per year for adults and £776 per year for children and full-time students. You pay it in advance for the entire length of leave applied for, through the IHS service, which issues the reference number you enter on the visa form.
The arithmetic escalates quickly because every dependant pays in full. A five-year Skilled Worker visa is £5,175 for one adult; a family of two adults and two children applying for five years faces a total surcharge bill of over £14,000 before a single application fee is counted.
Who does not pay
- Health and Care Worker visa holders and their dependants, and Global Talent visa holders and their dependants.
- Victims of domestic violence or modern slavery applying under dedicated routes, and diplomats and their households.
- Visitors — stays of under six months do not attract the surcharge — and EU Settlement Scheme holders, who have digital status rather than a visa.
- Afghan nationals arriving under ARAP or ACRS, and Ukrainian nationals under Homes for Ukraine or the Ukraine Family Scheme (waived for the first twelve months, then charged on extensions).
Check carefully before paying: if an exemption applies, paying the surcharge by mistake is difficult to unwind mid-application.
Refunds and what it buys
Paying the IHS entitles you to use the NHS on broadly the same basis as a UK resident from the day your leave starts — GP registration, hospital and mental health care, with the usual English prescription charges. It does not cover private healthcare, and it does not make adult NHS dental or optical treatment free: you pay the same charges a UK resident would.
A pro-rata refund of complete remaining months is available if your application is refused, if you leave the UK well before your visa expires, or if you are granted ILR or citizenship early — and there is no surcharge on an ILR application, because settlement is not time-limited. You cannot reclaim it while an application is merely pending. Finally, there is no bar on an employer paying the surcharge as part of a relocation package; it is worth negotiating when you accept a sponsored offer.
Related guides
Immigration Health Surcharge Explained
The Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is a fee paid by most non-EEA nationals when applying for a UK visa for more than six months. It funds NHS care for visa holders during their stay. The current rate is £1,035 per year for adults and £776 per year for children and students.
5 min
Skilled Worker Visa Overview
The Skilled Worker visa is the main route for people from outside the UK to work in the country. It replaced the Tier 2 (General) visa in December 2020 as part of the post-Brexit points-based immigration system. To be eligible, you generally need a job offer from a UK employer with a valid Skilled Worker sponsor licence, and your role and salary must meet the required thresholds.
9 min
Health and Care Worker Visa
The Health and Care Worker Visa is a sub-route of the Skilled Worker visa designed specifically for doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and senior care workers taking up eligible roles with the NHS, an NHS-commissioned service provider, or an adult social care employer. It offers reduced fees and an immigration health surcharge exemption.
6 min
Bringing Dependants to the UK
Most main UK visa holders can bring their spouse or partner and dependent children to join them in the UK as dependants. Dependants generally have the same leave conditions as the main visa holder. This guide covers the key requirements and process for dependant visa applications.
6 min
Disclaimer