To support public sector pay increases, the British government would raise the costs for national health services and applications for immigrant visas.
The government’s intention to increase the cost of the immigration health surcharge and visa application costs has been made public by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The higher fees are intended to raise a sizable amount of money for paying public sector pay raises.
Prime Minister Sunak said during a news conference in London that “the first is we’re going to increase the charges that we have for migrants who are coming to this country when they apply for visas.”
The immigration health fee that immigrants must pay in order to use the National Health Service (NHS), according to local news reports, was also brought up by the PM. Over a billion pounds in revenue are anticipated to result from the changes to these fees.
Prime Minister Sunak announced this policy together with a request for unions to halt all current and upcoming industrial strikes, claiming that he had negotiated a “fair deal” for workers.
He tweeted his opinions, writing, “I just offered a reasonable method to end the strikes – and already all teacher unions are supporting it. The workers get a fair bargain. Additionally, it is just for the British tax payer. This is a significant development for families and parents across the nation.
Pay raises are included in the proposed arrangement for a number of industries. In the years 2023 to 2024, police officers are expected to see wage increases of 7%, while teachers, senior NHS employees, and young doctors will each see pay increases of 6.5%, 6%, and 6%, coupled with additional one-time payments.
Armed forces employees will receive a one-time payment in addition to a 5% salary raise.
At 8.7%, the nation’s current inflation rate is higher above the Bank of England’s 2% target. To emphasize the offer’s finality in light of this, the Prime Minister said, “Today’s offer is definitive. There won’t be any more pay discussions.
We won’t renegotiate the settlements for this year, and no number of strikes will make us change our mind. He expressed assurance that the tide is changing for public services and that most people who are committed to helping others are going back to work.
The UK government has experienced major walkouts across practically all sectors, according to reports from unions, universities, and think tanks, as a result of the impact of the Ukraine war, Brexit, and an escalating cost-of-living issue.
