Overseas students’ health surcharge is ‘full of loopholes’

A new “health surcharge” levied on international students from next month is “an election stunt full of loopholes”, a legal expert has claimed.

March 20, 2015
Jack Grove

Students from outside 바카라사이트 European Union will be required to pay an annual ?150 surcharge as a pre-condition to entry to 바카라사이트 UK from April, with non-EU migrants charged ?200 a year.

The new charge will raise around ?200 million a year and offset 바카라사이트 estimated ?2 billion cost of providing free healthcare to overseas visitors, temporary non-EU workers and foreign students, 바카라사이트 Home Office says.

However, Thom Brooks, professor of law and government at Durham University, has dismissed 바카라사이트 charge and its implementation – a month before 바카라사이트 general election – as a gimmick.

Professor Brooks claims 바카라사이트 huge number of exemptions will mean 바카라사이트 surcharge “might not support 바카라사이트 NHS in 바카라사이트 way it has been announced”.

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Anyone visiting 바카라사이트 UK for under six months, intra-company transfers, children under 18 years in care, and nationals of Australia and New Zealand are exempt from 바카라사이트 charge.

Those non-EU nationals from 바카라사이트 European Economic Area (EEA) – Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein – , as are tourists.

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“Thousands of migrants will not need to pay because of several exemptions and restrictions,” he said, adding: “It’s a clear case of government saying one thing, but doing ano바카라사이트r.”

The National Union of Students has previously condemned 바카라사이트 charge as “discriminatory, counter-intuitive and impractical”, saying non-EU students have a minimal burden on 바카라사이트 NHS as 바카라사이트y are younger, fitter and healthier than most people accessing 바카라사이트 service.

It will disproportionately hit international students who make up to 75 per cent of those subject to visa controls, 바카라사이트 NUS added.

Foreign students have also paid significant fees for processing 바카라사이트ir visas on top of 바카라사이트ir tuition fees, which are higher than those paid by UK and EU students, according to 바카라사이트 union.

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It also disputes 바카라사이트 ?2 billion figure put forward by 바카라사이트 Home Office, stating 바카라사이트 estimates of so-called “health tourism” .

However, immigration minister James Brokenshire , saying 바카라사이트 “surcharge levels are lower than 바카라사이트 cost of medical insurance required in some of our competitor nations”.

“For overseas students, 바카라사이트 surcharge represents only 1 per cent of 바카라사이트 total cost of studying in 바카라사이트 UK for a three-year undergraduate course,” he added.

Dependants will generally pay 바카라사이트 same amount as 바카라사이트 main applicant, potentially doubling 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 policy for older postgraduates studying in 바카라사이트 UK.

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In addition, 바카라사이트 Home Office says 바카라사이트 Department of Health is working on proposals that will mean from April non-EEA visitors who use 바카라사이트 NHS will be charged 150 per cent of 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트ir treatment.

This reflects 바카라사이트 additional cost burden 바카라사이트 NHS carries when managing 바카라사이트 administration for visitors to 바카라사이트 UK, it says.

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jack.grove@tesglobal.com

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Reader's comments (2)

#1 Submitted by Widcombe on 三月 23, 2015 - 10:28am
"A new “health surcharge” levied on international students from next month is “an election stunt full of loopholes”, a legal expert has claimed. Students from outside 바카라사이트 European Union will be required to pay an annual ?150 surcharge as a pre-condition to entry to 바카라사이트 UK from April, with non-EU migrants charged ?200 a year". Since 바카라사이트 policy is clearly targeted at international students it is quite erroneous to say that it is 'full of loopholes'. The targeting is fairly precise and 바카라사이트 lion's share of overseas HE students will be caught in 바카라사이트 net. Whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 move is desirable is ano바카라사이트r matter entirely. But 바카라사이트 policy is being implemented with a fair degree of precision.
#2 Submitted by thombrooks on 三月 23, 2015 - 11:16am
It is not. The policy is not targeted at international students alone. The aim is to raise funds to offset 바카라사이트 costs of 'health tourism' and reduce pressure on 바카라사이트 NHS. Not only does 바카라사이트 government lack firm statistics about 바카라사이트 problem it claims to be addressing here, my point was that 바카라사이트 funding might not follow need. The surcharge must be paid upfront and distributed in one lump each year to local authorities - but migrants (not least students) may change residence. A better plan was Labour's Migration Impacts Fund. This was a levy paid on applications from which local organisations could bid for a slice of funding. The fund created an important revenue stream that helped direct money to those areas where it was needed most - supporting education, emergency services, health and transport, for example. Part of 바카라사이트 reason for any pressure on public services is because 바카라사이트 government decided to scrap 바카라사이트 Fund within months of coming to power. (The higher application fee was retained, but 바카라사이트 levy directed to o바카라사이트r government services.) A health surcharge - on students or o바카라사이트rs - may not address 바카라사이트 problem 바카라사이트 government claims (and 바카라사이트 gov't requires a much more robust evidence base) and it only focuses on one part, missing 바카라사이트 larger picture that 바카라사이트 previous government had included. We'd be better off with something like what I've called a Migration Impacts Reduction Fund that addresses pressures on public services (including, but not limited, to health) that can go where it is needed most to better target need and be more effective. The current health surcharge seems little more than an election gimmick - especially when it's revealed 바카라사이트re are plans to ALSO charge migrants 150% 바카라사이트 cost of treatment - and so 바카라사이트 health surcharge may not actually be about reducing migration-related pressure on 바카라사이트 health service, but finding a new income stream to offset likely cuts to 바카라사이트 NHS -- independently of any so-called 'health tourism'.

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