Get an immigration health surcharge refund if you work in health and care
If you do not have a Tier 2 visa or you work in another health or care role
You can apply online for a refund (‘reimbursement’) if either:
- you’re a medical professional and you’re not eligible to apply for a refund, for example because you do not have a Tier 2 (General) visa
- you work in another role in a healthcare setting
Healthcare settings include hospitals, GP practices, care homes and community healthcare facilities.
Eligibility
You must have paid the immigration health surcharge (IHS) and both:
- work for an eligible company or organisation, for example the NHS or the Care Quality Commission (CQC) - read ‘Annex A’ of the detailed guidance to check eligibility
- have worked in your role for at least 6 months, for an average of at least 16 hours a week
The 6 months can include paid leave, such as maternity or statutory sick leave.
You will not be eligible if you were unemployed or had unpaid leave for more than 28 days during the last 6 months.
What you’ll get
You can apply for a refund for one 6-month period at a time, starting on or after 31 March 2020.
Example
If you paid the IHS on 31 December 2019, you could get money back for the period of time between 31 March and 30 September 2020.
You could not claim for the period of time between 31 December 2019 and 30 March 2020.
You’ll need to apply every 6 months to claim a refund for additional periods of time.
Dependants
If you’re eligible, your dependants can also get a refund. You must include them in your application.
Apply online
To apply, you’ll need:
- your IHS number (this is a 12-digit number)
- your National Insurance number
- your email address
- the name of your employer
- copies of your payslips for the 6 months you’re claiming for - you can upload them as either a scan or a photo
If you’re applying for your dependants, you’ll also need their IHS number.
If your application is successful, you’ll be sent the money within 6 weeks. It will be sent to the account or card you used to pay for the health surcharge.
Help
Contact the NHS Business Services Authority (BSA) if you need help with your application.
If you’re in the UK
Telephone: 0300 330 7693
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
If you’re outside the UK
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 283 8937
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm