Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has assessed the merits of lowering the earnings requirement for a family visa.

The Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) was raised in April 2024 from £18,600 to £29,000. This was the first time it had been increased since its introduction.

To help ensure we reach the right balance and have a solid evidence base for any change, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) was commissioned to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules.

Conducting a full review of the financial requirements across the family routes will ensure we have a clear and consistent system. The MAC has published their independent review of the financial requirements across the family routes.

There is no set date for when we will respond to the MAC report. However, the MAC’s recommendations are being considered in detail alongside the work being carried out as a result of the Immigration White Paper (Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper - GOV.UK) which made clear that family migration would be reformed to tackle the over complex family immigration arrangements, including the financial requirements. An announcement will be made in due course.