Analysis Finds that Migrants Pay More to the NHS than the Cost of the Care They Use

NHS 'over-reliant' on overseas funding as health service 'lost £100m due to falling immigration'

The NHS has become "over-reliant" on its income from the immigration health surcharge (IHS), a new report has claimed.Findings by the Nuffield Trust revealed the income from the IHS boomed tenfold between the years 2015-2016 and 2024-2025.However, the £2.5billion contribution to the NHS budget from the surcharge dropped to £2.3billion last year.The slump in funding is due to fewer foreign workers arriving in the UK and paying into the IHS, the N…

Fall in Migrant Numbers Could Cost NHS Billions as Migrants Pay 60% More Than Their Healthcare Costs

LONDON Oct 21: The NHS could lose hundreds of millions of pounds in vital funding as immigration falls, with new analysis revealing that migrants paying the Immigration Health Surcharge contribute significantly more to the health service than the cost of the care they receive.  The NHS risks losing a major source of funding as immigration numbers decline, according to new analysis by the Nuffield Trust, which finds that migrants paying the Immig…

Migrants pay 60% more into NHS than their healthcare costs, analysis finds

Highlights:Migrants paying the IHS contributed at least 60% more to NHS finances than their estimated healthcare costs in 2023/24, including standard tax contributions.The annual surcharge has risen from £200 to £1,035 for most visa applicants.IHS revenue peaked at almost £2.5 billion in 2024/25.The surcharge now accounts for more than 1 per cent of the NHS budget.Revenue fell to £2.3 billion in 2025/26 as immigration numbers declined.Around one…

Analysis finds that migrants pay more to the NHS than the cost of the care they use

Nuffield Trust analysis finds migrants paying the Immigration Health Surcharge contribute significantly more to NHS finances than they cost in healthcare, raising concerns over future NHS funding if migration falls.