The Home Office has rowed back on plans to increase the salary threshold for Britons wishing to bring a family member to the UK following a backlash.
Home Secretary James Cleverly told the Commons earlier this month that the threshold for a family visa would rise from £18,600 to £38,700 by “next spring” in a bid to reduce the number of people coming to the UK.
But documents released by the Home Office state that the earning threshold Britons need to bring foreign family members will now only increase to £29,000 in the spring – while no timeline has been set out for when the higher threshold of £38,700 will be introduced.
Home Office minister Lord Sharpe of Epsom confirmed the change in answer to a written parliamentary question on Thursday.
Lord Sharpe said the current threshold of £18,600 allows 75% of the UK working population to bring their foreign family members to join them but that increasing the threshold to £38,700 would reduce that figure to 30% of the working population.
The minister said: “In spring 2024, we will raise the threshold to £29,000, that is the 25th percentile of earnings for jobs which are eligible for skilled worker visas, moving to the 40th percentile (currently £34,500) and finally the 50th percentile (currently £38,700 and the level at which the general skilled worker threshold is set) in the final stage of implementation.”
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He said the minimum income requirement would be increased in “incremental stages to give predictability” and that in spring 2024, it would be raised to £29,000.
No date for when the threshold would rise beyond £29,000 was given in Lord Sharpe’s answer.
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When later asked by Sky News if a timeframe had been set for the threshold’s rise to £38,700, a Home Office spokeswoman confirmed that it had not but added dates would be announced in due course.
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Sunak warns of migration threat
Mr Cleverly said following the update that he still believed the government’s plans would reduce net migration by 300,000 people a year.
“I have been clear that current levels of migration to the UK are far too high,” he said.
“The British people are, rightly, frustrated and want to see action.
“This is why the government announced a plan to decisively cut net migration and ensure the system is fair and works for the people of this country.
“It is vital that British workers are not undercut and that we ease the strain on our public services. The measures I have announced prioritise those who will contribute significantly to our economy, whilst cracking down on those who seek to take advantage of our kindness.
“Today, I have provided further detail about how these measures will be applied and when they will be introduced.
“This plan will deliver the biggest ever reduction in net migration, with around 300,000 fewer people coming to the UK compared to last year, delivering on our promise to bring the numbers down.”
But Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Alistair Carmichael said: “You have to wonder who is in charge at the Home Office, or if anyone is.
“It was clear to everyone else that the raising of the earnings threshold was unworkable.
“This was yet another half thought through idea to placate the hardliners on their own back benches.
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‘The Tory party faces electoral oblivion’
“James Cleverly needs to put down the spade and stop digging. Decisions like this should be made by experts and politicians working together.”
Labour’s shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the climbdown was “more evidence of Tory government chaos on immigration and the economy”.
Mr Cleverly unveiled the salary change as part of a five-point plan to reduce legal migration after net migration hit a record-breaking 745,000in the year to December 2022.
It said the plan to hike the family visa salary threshold to £38,700 could mean that “in some circumstances, British workers would face more restrictive rules on family than migrant workers in the same job”.
During Prime Minister’s Questions last week, Labour MP Sir Stephen Timms warned that the marriage plans of “thousands of couples” had been “dashed” by Mr Cleverly’s announcement.
What started as a WhatsApp group for dozens of grieving families has ended up gathering enough momentum to reach Westminster.
Warning: This article contains content you may find distressing.
The parents and relatives of loved ones who have taken their own life following domestic abuse are angry, at a loss, but up for a fight.
Sharon Holland is among those furious at how difficult it is to hold a potential perpetrator accountable for their loved ones’ deaths.
Image: Sharon Holland (L), whose daughter Chloe died by suicide
Her daughter, Chloe, died by suicide in 2023 after being in a controlling relationship.
Chloe, 23, suffered months of torment at the hands of her former partner. At the time of his conviction, police said Chloe was a victim of a “horrific campaign of coercive and controlling behaviour”.
Two years on, Ms Holland has shared experiences and developed bonds with families who have been through the same trauma.
But charges and convictions for those potentially responsible are rare. That’s despite figures from the Domestic Homicide Project, funded by the Home Office and led by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, showing more domestic abuse victims take their own lives in England and Wales than are killed by their partner.
There were 1,012 domestic abuse-related deaths in England and Wales between 2020 and 2024, of which 354 were suspected suicides compared to 332 homicides.
Image: Sharon Holland said her group ‘don’t want this happening to someone else’
Families at ‘breaking point’
Ms Holland’s group are now calling for “justice for all victims of domestic abuse-related suicides” by bringing their campaign to Westminster today.
Asked if this is a movement born out of families being at breaking point, Ms Holland said: “Absolutely.
“All of us mums or sisters all feel the same, that we don’t want this happening to someone else. It’s being dragged out for years and during that time the mums are becoming more and more ill, their health is going downhill, they’re stressed out all the time, on alert, and they just can’t get anywhere with it.
“There’s so many warnings with the police or with the NHS with various agencies that this could not end well for their daughters, and unfortunately it takes the person to die, and then we find out what the failings are.”
Families who believe there has been foul play, or know the abuse their loved ones suffered at the hands of an intimate partner contributed to them taking their own lives, say it’s difficult to be taken seriously.
“The majority of them have been fighting for five years,” Ms Holland said. “They’ve been waiting for the police to get back to them or waiting for the CPS to charge.
“One lady has just waited five years, only to finally hear back from the CPS only to find out they’re not going to charge.
“So that poor woman’s health has gone downhill, fighting for her daughter, who she suspects was a staged suicide and got nowhere.”
Image: Pragna Patel said famillies ‘are entirely on their own’
‘Heartbreaking’ for families
Families are often fending for themselves, according to Pragna Patel, co-founder of Project Resist, a charity that supports people affected by domestic abuse and violence.
She said families “are having to navigate the system entirely on their own as they try to find out the circumstances in which their loved ones took their lives and to find out how and why this happened”.
“It’s really heartbreaking to see these families knocking at the doors of the police, knocking at the door of coroners, saying: ‘We know these deaths are suspicious, we know there is a history of coercive and controlling behaviour and domestic abuse behind these deaths, and we want you to investigate.’
“On the whole, families are met with a culture of indifference, apathy and ignorance. They’re just not getting the attention they need.”
‘We must do more,’ says minister
Ms Holland and a host of other families will gather in parliament later to meet safeguarding minister Jess Phillips.
Ahead of the meeting, Ms Phillips told Sky News: “Every death linked to domestic abuse is a tragedy. We must do more to prevent them, and I will be meeting Project Resist to discuss how we can hold perpetrators to account more effectively.
“We are funding the Domestic Homicide Project to capture information on domestic abuse related deaths, including suicides, from all 43 police forces in England and Wales to improve our understanding of this issue.
“But more needs to be done. Our upcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy will set out our plans to strengthen our response to all domestic abuse related deaths.”
Image: Jess Phillips
Sky News understands there are a number of active cases being pursued by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Part of prosecutors’ assessment of a case includes developing an understanding of the relationship history between the victim and a potential suspect and trying to understand the victim’s state of mind before their death.
But they are relying on evidence and witness statements that need to be taken in a timely manner.
They say they are raising awareness through tailored training about the links between domestic abuse and suicide, so officers are better equipped to exercise “professional curiosity”.
Ahead of the campaign’s launch, a spokesperson for the CPS said: “Domestic abuse is a heinous crime and our prosecutors are actively advised to consider murder and manslaughter charges in suicide cases where there is a known context of domestic abuse or other controlling or coercive behaviour.
“We have previously charged a number of defendants for causing the death of a partner they abused, including in proceedings which are currently active.
“We are also working with police and other stakeholders to ensure these kinds of offences are well-understood – so that we can bring perpetrators to justice for the full extent of their crimes.”
‘You cannot move forward’
Families so far have had to rely on the inquest to scrutinise the circumstances of their loved one’s death.
Chloe died two years ago and hers is yet to happen.
Ms Holland: “The way all this drags out, you cannot sit down, move forward and just grieve. You’re constantly on high alert, fighting everyone, and just hoping that it’ll be over soon.”
A delay for answers and further delay for grief.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
A prominent expert in recovering stolen works of art has told Sky News it was “a matter of time” before the Louvre was targeted – and UK museums could be next.
Christopher Marinello says gangs have been emboldened to strike because “law enforcement has been driven into the ground”.
And while headlines have focused on thieves making off with priceless jewellery from an iconic French institution, he warns this problem isn’t confined to Paris.
He said: “There are gangs operating all over Europe and not enough is being done to stop them … this was only a matter of time, they’ve been hitting small museums.
“If they can hit the Louvre successfully, they can hit anything. Do you know how many museums there are in the UK?”
Image: Christopher Marinello investigates art theft the police aren’t pursuing
At the start of October, at the St Fagans National Museum of History in Wales, it took just four minutes for audacious thieves to swipe irreplaceable Bronze Age jewellery.
He says gangs are targeting gold “just to melt it down” and diamonds for their value – “with no regard for the integrity of the artworks and the cultural heritage that they are destroying”.
A spokesperson for the museum has said: “We sympathise deeply with our friends at the Louvre … it emphasises the increased risk to organisations like ours … this highlights the dilemma we face between having items on display for people to enjoy and learn from – or keeping them locked away.”
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Louvre: How ‘heist of the century’ unfolded
Mr Marinello, who investigates art crimes that the police aren’t pursuing, says institutions and stately homes urgently need to wake up to what’s happening.
“They need to start building vaults for these objects because otherwise they’re going to be taken and melted down and used to buy Lamborghinis or drugs,” he warned.
“If the smaller museums can’t afford it, perhaps they’re going to have to consolidate collections to museums that can handle it.”
Image: Empress Eugenie’s tiara was among the jewellery stolen. Pic: Louvre
‘You can’t trust anyone’
Mr Marinello went on to warn that gangs are becoming “more brazen” – with the Louvre targeted despite the security measures it had in place.
“The system is not working … the penalties are not strong enough … police are frustrated, prosecutors say the same thing because there’s nowhere to put these people.”
The art recovery expert says he’s concerned how funding cutbacks are making our museums more vulnerable to those who recognise that the obvious rewards outweigh the risks.
Image: The Louvre is one of the most famous landmarks in Paris
“These museums are designed to preserve and protect our cultural heritage, and they need to be properly funded to do that job,” he added. “They need to be able to stay one step ahead of the criminals.”
“This is not the 1950s any more, you can’t trust anyone. These items are so valuable, and gold is at an all-time high.
“[Thieves] don’t care if an item belonged to Napoleon III, it means nothing to them. All they care about is quick cash.”
Face masks, hand sanitisers and windows wide open in the height of winter.
Teachers were not allowed to move around the classroom, there were bubbles for different year groups and testing kits distributed to all children and families… and the list goes on and on.
These were just some of the challenges school teachers faced on a daily basis as the pandemic took hold.
The valiant efforts made by school teachers and school leaders to maintain bubbles in schools simply did not matter.
As soon as children were outside, they all got the bus or the train home together – allowing the virus to spread.
Image: Gavin Williamson, who served as education secretary during the pandemic. Pic: PA
Meanwhile, the government had two big school holidays, summer 2020 and Christmas, in which they could have installed air purifiers and implemented the sanitising of school buildings ahead of new terms beginning.
On 3 January 2021, Mr Johnson said that “schools were safe” – as he warned of tightening restrictions in the wake of rising coronavirus cases.
Just a day later, Mr Johnson announced schools would close from 5 January.
Over nine million children went to school for a single day after the Christmas holidays – sharing their respective germs with their classmates.
Then they went home to share them with their own families, parents and vulnerable grandparents.
Teachers felt frustrated they were constantly playing catch-up, as instructions from the government changed sporadically and were often unclear, under-resourced and under-funded.
Timeline of how COVID impacted schools
20 March 2020 – Schools across the UK close
23 March 2020 – Boris Johnson announces first national lockdown
1 June 2020 – Phased reopening of schools in England
3 August 2020 – Eat Out To Help Out scheme begins
13 August 2020 – A-level results published, with 40% of teacher assessments downgraded
17 August 2020 – Gavin Williamson U-turns on grading system
September 2020 – Children return to schools
5 November 2020 – England’s second national lockdown begins but schools allowed to stay open, albeit with mask wearing and social distancing
18 December 2020 – Williamson says all secondary schools will teach online for first week of January term to allow mass testing
4 January 2021 – Primary schools open in 100 councils. That evening, closure of all schools announced, with third English lockdown starting two days later
8 March 2021 – Primary schools return. Phased return of secondary schools
Struggles of learning online
Online learning was another monumental challenge for teachers.
Despite being established for schools and families, many children didn’t have the necessary digital access; they were sharing devices with siblings and parents who were now also having to work from home.
While online learning posed its own challenges, cameras on/off, microphones on/off, children not able to join, unreliable internet connection, among other difficulties.
Online lessons were particularly challenging. I recall reading A Christmas Carol to a class that were virtually unresponsive bar one or two pupils who, I think, felt sorry for me.
Most, if not all, of the children’s cameras were off, and many children were not interacting online.
When we were back in school, I caught COVID. It was inevitable after being exposed to hundreds of children on any given day.
Image: Boris Johnson holding a press conference in 2020 alongside the government’s then chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance and England’s chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty. Pic: Reuters
Most challenging time during my entire teaching career
Teachers were expected to teach online and then also make calls home to parents and children to help with any pastoral issues.
And that’s before trying to navigate the challenges of children whose parents had lost their jobs and were struggling to make ends meet.
It was tough, having to home-school my own two children and teach online, as well as call home to ensure that the mental health and well-being of students was also addressed.
I would speak to parents that were beside themselves, and didn’t know how to get their children out of bed or undertake their online learning.
I lost friends and family to COVID, many colleagues also found the impact on their mental health overwhelming.
Teaching during COVID was by far the most challenging time during my entire teaching career, spanning over 20 years.