BASW Statement: Government Abandons Health Surcharge.

BASW was one of many organisations objecting to this and welcomes change of plan

On 18th May the Government announced it was pressing ahead with the health surcharge: a charge on health workers and care workers coming to work in the UK. Not only were they pressing ahead with the charge, it was going to go up from £400 to £625.

BASW was one of many organisations objecting to this earlier this week when the Government re-introduced the new Immigration Bill to Parliament

On Thursday 22 May the Government announced a U-turn. There would be no health surcharge after all.

Immigration Bill surcharge - update. We have joined other organisations to work in partnership on a joint letter to Priti Patel MP and Matthew Hancock MP to ask to ensure that this change is applied in a way that will truly benefit the people who work in health and social care on whom we all rely. Date published 29 May 2020

Ruth Allen, BASW Chief Executive said:

"BASW welcomes the Governments change of plan. This is a victory for common humanity and common sense."