Migrants handed £96m visa waivers since Labour took power

Migrants have been handed £96million in visa fee waivers since Labour took power, with a whopping 76,000 charges scrapped, it has emerged.

Each waiver is said to be worth up to almost £4,000 per adult, covering a £1,407 application fee and a £2,587 NHS surcharge. While not every applicant has the NHS surcharge waived, the dropped charges come to at least £96.2million, according to analysis by The Sun.

In the first three months of 2026, some 33,737 people applied to avoid paying the fee, the highest number in a single quarter. In the final quarter of 2023, half that number made the same request at 13,669. Between April and June, another 33,393 submitted an application.

To dodge the visa charge, applicants must prove they would be left unable to afford food or accommodation if they paid. Individuals can also prove that paying could harm a child or their well-being. The influx has left civil servants struggling to handle the record number of applications.

Backlog grows as waivers pile up

Only 478 of the 33,737 applications were processed on time. Some 50,257 fee-dodging migrants are still awaiting their applications to be processed and reach a conclusion. In the first 18 months of Labour’s time in Government, 70,916 waivers were doled out to applicants, jumping up by 57 per cent on the final year and a half of the Tories’ time in Whitehall.

Shabana Mahmood’s department does not break down the figures by nationality. Britain cannot keep writing blank cheques while families here face the cost of living. A country that controls its borders does not hand out millions in waived fees and then watch the backlog explode. Taxpayers deserve a system that puts them first, not one that rewards those who claim they cannot pay.

The Home Office told The Sun that it did not recognise the figures, further saying that the waiver acceptance rate was lower than under the Tories and that the figure was continuing to fall. GB News has approached the Home Office for further comment.

Across the pond, Donald Trump has taken a strong stance on visa applications, halting all immigrant visa applications in his bid to bolster US national security. The State Department said it paused operations to launch a global training initiative at all US embassies and consulates worldwide.

The new in-depth training aims to ensure visa applicants are evaluated comprehensively and consistently. The pause is also intended to prevent foreign nationals from becoming reliant on US tax-funded handouts. A State Department spokesman said: “A more prosperous America means ensuring that visa applicants are not likely to become a public charge, as defined under US law and regulation, and not likely to become dependent on US public benefits reserved for qualified Americans in need.”

Labour now faces questions over how many more waivers will be granted and whether the backlog of more than 50,000 will be cleared without further cost to the public purse. The figures land as pressure mounts on the Government to show it can run a firm and fair system rather than one that keeps expanding the bill.

Original source: GB News