UK IHS Surcharge Estimator 2026 — Immigration Health Surcharge Calculator
Calculate your exact UK Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) for any visa length and dependants. Updated with the current £1,035/year rate — instant results, free.
The UK Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) is one of the largest upfront costs of any UK visa — and the one applicants most often underestimate. Since the February 2024 increase, the standard rate stands at £1,035 per year for most visa holders, with a discounted £776 per year for students, children and Health & Care Worker visa applicants. On a typical three-year Skilled Worker visa with one dependant, that is over £5,400 payable before you even travel. The free UK IHS surcharge estimator above calculates your exact total in seconds — visa type, duration, dependants, and optional application fees included.
What Is the UK Immigration Health Surcharge?
The IHS is a mandatory payment that gives visa holders access to the UK's National Health Service (NHS) for the full length of their visa. Unlike a travel insurance premium, it is paid upfront in full at the application stage — covering years you may not even spend in the country. It applies to nearly all visa categories lasting more than six months: Skilled Worker, Student, Family, Innovator Founder, Global Talent, and their dependants. Only a narrow group is exempt, including diplomat-family members, members of His Majesty's forces, and certain NHS-recruited doctors applying under the Health & Care Worker route at a reduced rate.
Current IHS Rates 2026 — Per Year, Per Person
| Applicant Type | Rate per Year | Example: 3-Year Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker, Family, Innovator | £1,035 | £3,105 |
| Student (over 18) | £776 | £2,328 (typical 3-yr course) |
| Under-18 applicants | £776 | £2,328 |
| Health & Care Worker visa | £776 | £2,328 |
| Example: family of 4 on 5-year route | — | £20,700 total IHS |
Each dependant pays the surcharge separately at the same rate as the main applicant. A family of four settling on a five-year route faces an IHS bill exceeding £20,000 — which is why accurate budgeting with an immigration health surcharge calculator before applying has become essential planning, not an optional extra.
How IHS Is Calculated: The Six-Month Rounding Rule
The Home Office does not simply multiply years — it rounds your visa period up to the nearest six months. A 30-month (2.5-year) visa is charged as 2.5 years. A visa granted for 3 years and 4 months is charged as 3.5 years. This rounding is the single most common reason applicants are asked for more IHS than they expected. Our estimator uses standard grant lengths (including the 5.5-year pattern now typical for Skilled Workers on the settlement route after the 2026 rules extended qualifying periods) so the figure you see matches what UKVI will demand.
IHS vs Private Health Insurance: What £1,035 Actually Buys
Applicants often ask whether the surcharge is "worth it" — the comparison answers the question. Private UK health insurance for a comparable period typically costs £600–£1,500 per year with exclusions, waiting periods, and co-pays. The IHS grants full NHS access: GP appointments, A&E emergency care, maternity services, specialist treatment, and subsidised prescriptions — with no exclusions for pre-existing conditions and no claim paperwork. For anyone spending more than a year in the UK, the surcharge functions as comprehensive coverage, which is precisely why UKVI mandates it.
Who Pays What: Visa-by-Visa Breakdown
- Skilled Worker (main + dependants): £1,035/year each. On the standard 5-year settlement route — now extended further under the 2026 rules — a single applicant's cumulative IHS across extensions can exceed £7,000 before Indefinite Leave to Remain.
- Students and their dependants: £776/year. A one-year Master's student with a spouse and child pays £776 × 3 = £2,328 — often more than the visa fees themselves.
- Health & Care Worker visa: The reduced £776/year rate is the government's deliberate concession to NHS and social-care staff; a care worker on a 3-year visa saves £777 versus the standard rate.
- Family & partner visas: £1,035/year for the applicant and each child. Five-year family routes before ILR mean a couple with two children faces over £20,700 in IHS alone.
- Youth Mobility Scheme: £776/year for the standard two-year grant — £1,552 payable by 18–30-year-olds on working holidays.
How to Pay the IHS — and What Happens After
Payment happens online as part of the visa application flow on GOV.UK: you receive an IHS reference number, pay by card, and the amount is linked to your application before biometrics. If your application is refused or withdrawn, the IHS is refunded in full automatically to the original payment card — usually within a few weeks, though backlogs have stretched this to 8+ weeks. If you later extend your visa or switch routes inside the UK, a new surcharge covers the new grant period. Time spent abroad does not pause the clock or trigger any refund.
Budgeting the Full UK Visa Cost Stack
IHS is rarely the only big-ticket item. A realistic UK relocation budget also includes visa application fees, the English language test, TB test, biometrics, priority services if used, and — for family routes — the financial requirement evidence. Run the numbers with our free UK IHS Surcharge Estimator and UK Health & Care Visa Fee Estimator, then map the wider journey with the Immigration Timeline Predictor Tool. For family applications, verify the income threshold precisely with the Family Financial Sponsorship Threshold Calculator — a miscalculated sponsor figure fails more UK family applications than any other single error.
Always verify the live rate before paying on the official GOV.UK Healthcare for Immigration Applicants page, and read the Home Office IHS policy guidance for exemptions and refund rules. Rates and rules can change at short notice — government sources are the only definitive reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the UK IHS surcharge per year in 2026?
The standard rate is £1,035 per year for most visa holders including Skilled Worker and Family routes, reduced to £776 per year for students, applicants under 18, and Health & Care Worker visa holders. These rates took effect in February 2024, replacing the previous £624/£470 charges, and remain the current official figures heading into 2026.
Do dependants pay the same IHS as the main applicant?
Yes. Every person on the application — spouse, children, and in relevant routes other family members — pays the same per-year rate separately. A Skilled Worker with a spouse and two children on a 3-year visa pays £1,035 × 3 years × 4 people = £12,420 in IHS alone, which is why budgeting with a calculator before applying is essential.
Is the IHS refunded if my UK visa is refused?
Yes — the full surcharge is refunded automatically when an application is refused, withdrawn, or succeeded by a grant for a shorter period than paid for. Refunds go to the original payment card without a separate claim. Processing has historically taken from a few weeks to over two months during busy periods, so do not expect instant reversal.
Why is my IHS higher than years × rate?
Because UKVI rounds the visa period up to the nearest six months before multiplying. A 3-year-and-4-month grant is charged as 3.5 years. Also, on longer settlement routes, each extension triggers a new full surcharge for its own period — the totals accumulate across the whole journey to settlement.
Do Health and Care Worker visa holders pay IHS?
Yes, but at the discounted £776 per year rate rather than the standard £1,035 — the government's concession to NHS and adult social care staff. The discount applies to the main applicant and their dependants on that route. Care workers and senior care workers on the official salary list benefit most over multi-year grants.
Can I get a refund for time spent outside the UK?
No. The IHS covers the entire visa validity regardless of where you actually live during that period. An applicant who spends eight months abroad in a given year still pays the full year's surcharge. There is no pro-rata refund mechanism for absence — plan budgets assuming the full upfront amount is sunk.
Is the IHS the same as travel insurance?
No. The surcharge is a government payment granting full NHS access — GP care, emergencies, maternity, specialists — with no exclusions for pre-existing conditions. Private travel insurance supplements it for repatriation and coverage during the first weeks before NHS registration, but does not replace the mandatory IHS for visas over six months.
Do I pay IHS for a 6-month UK visa?
Generally no — the surcharge applies to visas granted for more than six months. Short visits, standard visitor visas, and most sub-six-month routes are exempt. However, certain 6-month routes like the Graduate scheme variants or specific work categories can still carry IHS, so check your exact category on GOV.UK before assuming exemption.
How is IHS different from the visa application fee?
They are separate payments made in the same application flow. The visa fee covers processing your application; the IHS covers healthcare access during the visa. A 3-year Skilled Worker application costs £769 per person in fees plus £3,105 per person in IHS — the surcharge is roughly four times larger, which surprises most first-time applicants.
Will IHS rates increase again in 2026 or 2027?
The Home Office reviews IHS levels periodically and has historically raised them after salary-threshold and fee reviews. While no confirmed 2026-27 increase has been legislated, the pattern of past rises means budgeting with today's official rates — and rechecking on GOV.UK just before paying — is the prudent approach for anyone planning ahead.