Will the Spouse Visa Income Threshold Change in 2026?

Overview

The spouse visa income threshold is one of the most discussed and uncertain areas of UK immigration policy in 2026. The current requirement stands at £29,000 per year, but there has been significant speculation about whether it will change, in either direction.

This guide explains where the threshold stands today, what was originally planned, what the independent review recommended, and what the possible outcomes are for applicants planning ahead.

How We Got to £29,000

The minimum income requirement for spouse and partner visas was introduced in July 2012 at £18,600. It remained at that level for over a decade.

In late 2023, the then-Conservative government announced a plan to significantly increase the threshold in stages:

• April 2024: Increase from £18,600 to £29,000 (implemented)
• Late 2024: Further increase to £34,500 (never implemented)
• Early 2025: Final increase to £38,700, aligning with the Skilled Worker visa threshold (never implemented)

The rationale was to align family migration income requirements with work migration thresholds, ensuring that sponsors could support their partners without recourse to public funds.

The first increase to £29,000 took effect on 11 April 2024. However, the subsequent planned increases were never written into the Immigration Rules and were overtaken by the change of government.

What the Labour Government Did

When the Labour government took office in July 2024, the Home Secretary announced that the threshold would be frozen at £29,000 and that no further increases would be made until an independent review was completed. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) was commissioned to examine the level of the income threshold and its impact on families.

This was a significant moment. It effectively shelved the planned increases to £34,500 and £38,700, providing a period of stability for applicants.

What the MAC Recommended

The MAC published its review in June 2025. The report did not recommend a single specific threshold but instead set out a range of options for the government to consider.

The key findings were:

A suggested range of £17,000 to £28,000. The MAC identified several possible threshold levels, with indicators pointing to approximately £23,000 to £25,000 as a reasonable balance between promoting family unity and minimising cost to the public purse.

Rejection of alignment with the Skilled Worker threshold. The MAC explicitly stated that using the Skilled Worker salary threshold as a benchmark for family migration was "incoherent." Work migration and family migration serve fundamentally different policy purposes, and the two should not be linked.

Possible structural reforms. The report also discussed broader changes, including allowing the applicant's income to count more widely from the point of entry, simplifying the adequate maintenance test, and improving how financial requirements are applied in practice.

Where Things Stand in March 2026

As of March 2026, the government has not formally responded to the MAC report. The threshold remains at £29,000, and there is no published timetable for a decision.

The House of Commons Library, in a briefing updated in March 2026, confirmed that no changes have been made to the £29,000 threshold in response to the review.

Several possible outcomes remain on the table:

The threshold could be reduced. If the government accepts the MAC's preferred range, the threshold could drop to somewhere around £23,000 to £25,000, potentially linked to the National Living Wage. This would bring more families within qualifying range.

The threshold could stay at £29,000. The government may decide that the current level is politically acceptable, particularly given the broader policy focus on reducing net migration. It could adopt some of the MAC's structural recommendations (wider use of applicant income, clearer guidance) without changing the headline figure.

Broader reform could be introduced. The government could use the MAC review as a starting point for wider changes, such as allowing household income (sponsor plus applicant) to be counted more broadly, reforming the adequate maintenance test, or introducing targeted flexibility for families with children.

What is not on the table, based on all available evidence, is a return to the original planned increases to £34,500 or £38,700. The MAC explicitly rejected the logic behind those figures, and the government has shown no appetite to revisit them.

Transitional Provisions: Which Threshold Applies to You

Not everyone is assessed against the £29,000 threshold. The rules include transitional provisions that protect applicants who started their spouse visa journey before the increase took effect.

First-time applicants from 11 April 2024 onwards

The £29,000 threshold applies to your initial application and all future applications on the spouse route (extensions and ILR), provided no further rule changes are made.

Applicants who were granted a spouse visa before 11 April 2024

If your initial spouse visa was granted before the threshold changed, you are assessed against the previous £18,600 threshold for extensions and ILR applications, provided there has been no change of sponsor. This transitional protection applies for the duration of your route to settlement.

The child top-up amounts also apply under the old rules: an additional £3,800 for the first child and £2,400 for each additional child, capped at a total of £29,000.

The adequate maintenance exemption

Sponsors who receive certain disability-related or carer's benefits are exempt from the standard income threshold entirely. Instead, the application is assessed under the adequate maintenance test, which has a lower bar. Qualifying benefits include Armed Forces Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Carer's Allowance, and several others.

What This Means If You Are Planning an Application

The lack of a clear government position creates a genuine dilemma for couples who are close to but not yet at £29,000. Here is how to think about the current situation:

If you currently meet the £29,000 threshold: There is no reason to wait. The threshold will not go down before your application is decided. Apply when you are ready.

If you are below £29,000 but within the MAC's suggested range (£23,000 to £28,000): There is no guarantee the threshold will be reduced, and no timetable for any change. Waiting is a gamble. If the government does reduce the threshold, you may benefit. If it does not, you will have lost time. Consider whether savings can bridge your shortfall under the current rules while you wait for clarity.

If you are significantly below £29,000: The MAC review gives some hope that the threshold may eventually come down, but the timeline is uncertain. Building savings to supplement income using the savings formula, or increasing earnings, remain the most practical paths forward under the current rules.

How AssessNow Can Help

Whatever happens to the threshold, the spouse visa financial requirement is complex. There are multiple income categories, specific evidence periods, savings calculations, and transitional rules that determine whether you qualify under the current rules.

AssessNow's Spouse Visa Financial Requirement assessment checks your specific income, savings, and circumstances against the rules currently in force and tells you exactly where you stand: whether you meet the threshold, what evidence you need, and what your options are if you fall short. The assessment costs £12.99 and takes under five minutes.

Sources: House of Commons Library briefing "The financial (minimum income) requirement for partner visas" (updated March 2026). Migration Advisory Committee review of the family financial requirement (published June 2025). Home Office Family Migration Appendix FM guidance for caseworkers (updated November 2025).

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration rules are complex and individual circumstances vary. For formal immigration advice, consult a qualified immigration solicitor or adviser regulated by the SRA or IAA.