British families may soon find it easier to reunite with loved ones from abroad, following a government-commissioned review into the UK’s family visa system.
A key recommendation from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) suggests lowering the minimum income requirement (MIR) for UK citizens or settled residents wishing to bring their partners to Britain.
Under the current rules, introduced by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government, applicants must earn a minimum of £29,000 annually—a figure that was due to rise to £38,700 before Labour ordered a re-evaluation of the policy.
In what could be welcome news for many divided households, the MAC report proposes a more realistic salary threshold between £23,000 and £25,000, a level that would enable most full-time, minimum-wage workers to qualify for a UK family visa. The committee indicated that a range between £21,000 and £28,000 could also be considered reasonable.
Though this suggested figure still exceeds the pre-2024 threshold of £18,600, it marks a significant softening of the government’s stance on family migration.
According to MAC estimates, reducing the threshold from £29,000 to £24,000 could lead to an increase in net migration by around 8,000 people, roughly 1–3% of projected future migration figures.
Campaigners have long criticised the income threshold, branding it a “tax on love”. One such individual, Rachel Roberts Dos Santos, has been separated from her Brazilian husband and stepdaughter due to the current financial criteria.
“In an ideal world, there would be no price tag on love,” she said. After losing her job during the pandemic, Rachel was unable to meet the income threshold and has been training as a project manager in hopes of securing a salary above £29,000 to reunite her family.
Her story echoes those of countless others navigating the UK’s strict family immigration rules. She recounted a rare reunion in 2023, funded in part by her son’s child modelling earnings, followed by a six-month visit by her husband on a tourist visa. “When he went back, it left a massive hole again,” she shared.
The MAC also recommended that the Home Office consider including a partner’s UK job offer in the visa assessment process, a move that could make the system more equitable.
Caroline Coombs, co-founder of Reunite Families UK, welcomed the recommendations but urged further reform: “While we appreciate MAC’s suggestion that the income requirement be lowered, we firmly believe there should be no threshold at all. Even a minimum wage benchmark continues to separate families unfairly.”
Professor Brian Bell, chair of the MAC, stated that the report outlines “multiple policy options”, providing government officials with a range of frameworks and their respective implications.
Green MP Carla Denyer, who has met numerous families torn apart by the rules, criticised the policy outright: “Minimum income requirements for family visas are a cruel tax on love. They tear families apart and inflict emotional hardship on people who simply fell in love with someone from outside the UK.”
As the government reviews its stance, thousands across the country hope that 2025 marks a shift towards a more compassionate and inclusive UK migration policy—one that puts family unity at its heart.
