The minimum income requirement for sponsoring a family member on a family visa in the United Kingdom has been increased, further tightening the criteria for immigration. The income benchmark has been increased from 18,600 pounds to 29,000 pounds – an increase of more than 55 per cent.

The Rishi Sunak government announced the hike last year as part of its staged plan to align the family visa salary threshold with that of the Skilled Worker visa, and it came into force on April 11.

“The sponsoring family member, or in combination with the applicant if they are in the UK with permission to work, must now have an income of at least GBP 29,000 earned in the UK. The requirement can be met in several ways, including through savings exclusively or in addition to a lower income,” the UK Home Office stated.

The move, according to the Home Office, marks the final measure in Prime Minister Sunak’s package to reduce legal migration and “ensure those arriving here do not burden the taxpayer”.

“We have reached a tipping point with mass migration. There is no simple solution or easy decision which cuts numbers to levels acceptable to the British people,” Home Secretary James Cleverly said.