MORE than 60 organisations have urged the government to reverse proposals to fund public-sector pay rises with increased visa and NHS fees for migrants.

In a joint statement unions, charities and NGOs said the “simply unaffordable” increase to the immigration health surcharge is “a blatant attempt to sow division within the labour movement and our communities.”

Eleven unions including the National Education Union, British Medical Association (BMA), Royal College of Nurses, NASUWT and GMB accused prime minister Rishi Sunak of trying to “pit worker against worker.

“No worker should be pushed into poverty, unsustainable debt or homelessness simply because of the papers they hold.”

They reiterated that public-sector workers deserve pay rises, but urged the government to instead meet pay demands using progressive taxation “which ensures those with the broadest shoulders contribute more to our vital public services.” 

Public-sector pay rises of at least 6 per cent, funded from existing departmental budgets, were announced last week.

The Treasury said the fee for foreigners to access the NHS will be increased to pay for an extra 6 per cent pay for junior doctors, while a 7 per cent rise for police will be funded partly by the Home Office increasing the cost of work and study visas.

This included a 20 per cent increase in some visas and settlement fees and a 66 per cent increase to the Immigration Health Surcharge.

A migrant family of four currently has to pay around £50,000 over 10 years for the right to stay, which is set to increase to around £68,000 under the plans.

BMA chairman Prof Philip Banfield said: “The proposed increase in the charges on migrant health workers to pay for the government’s already-compromised pay deal is frankly shameful.

“The government are pitting the public against each other, targeting one group to fund below-inflation offers for another when this country needs them desperately to help get the NHS back on its feet.”

He said the tax discriminates against immigrants on top of months of additional bureaucracy, adding: “For medical colleagues wanting to be joined by family members in the UK this can be prohibitive, losing their skills to the NHS entirely.”

Other unions which backed the statement are the Public and Commercial Services union, University and College Union, Society of Radiologists, Social Workers Union, Fire Brigades Union, Aslef and the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers’ Union.