Poll: Effect of the new immigration rules on UK-Y

MandyBoo, this is from Historyenne's post analyzing the changes in the rules...

"If the sponsor's income is less than £18,600, the deficit can be made up with savings.  However, ONLY savings in excess of £16,000 will be considered, and then the sponsor must have 2.5 times the difference between his income and the requirement, IN ADDITION to the £16,000 minimum.  So if the sponsor earns £15,000 he must have £25,000 (16,000 + (3,600 x 2.5)) in savings or the application will be refused. "

Thanks very much for the info.

Mandy, yes savings can be used to help with any income shortfall.  But it is a large amount. 

I am going to guess with the info you gave us.  If he earns £7 per hour and works 40 hours per week, his annual income is £14,560.  That means he is short £4040 per year.  Multiply £4040 x 2.5 for a total of £10100.  Add £10100 to £16000 (the base set by UKBA) and he would need £26100 in savings to offset his earnings shortfall.

I would also kindly suggest that if these rules are important to you, you start by taking the time to read about them.  I had to do that.  I know you can too.

Oh I have read up on them, believe me. Thanks for saying kindly though, haha. These new rules have been my obsession for the past few weeks but I have gotten away from it the last week or so because it upsets me a great deal and I just can't continue to look at all the new rules and the things they're getting rid of as far as third party support. But now I'm back on here again to check it out with a bit of a more clear (less hysterical) mind. I just was confused as to whether savings could be used in favor or not. But, gezz, that sure is.. uh, quite a lot of money. I really hope he can get a better paying job because if it remains this way, we're going to be apart for a very long time. 

MandyBoo,

I recall from an earlier post that you're still pretty young (20?). Is your BF the same age as you? If so, I would try to think positive. There's no telling where the two of you will be in a few years career/money-wise. When I met DH, I was 20 and he was 24. He was barely scraping by in London doing odd jobs (human billboard was one of them). There was no way he could sponsor my visa even under the old rules. He moved back to Shropshire and in with his parents. He eventually got the job he has now. It took four years for us to get where we are now. Have faith!

Mandy - I understand what you mean about being upset by the rules.  We had a huge storm last Friday which set us without electricity for two days and internet for three.  Hindsight being what it is, that time away from the my own constant researching was probably good for me.

MandyBoo,

I recall from an earlier post that you're still pretty young (20?). Is your BF the same age as you? If so, I would try to think positive. There's no telling where the two of you will be in a few years career/money-wise. When I met DH, I was 20 and he was 24. He was barely scraping by in London doing odd jobs (human billboard was one of them). There was no way he could sponsor my visa even under the old rules. He moved back to Shropshire and in with his parents. He eventually got the job he has now. It took four years for us to get where we are now. Have faith!

You're a nice person, Plain Pearl.   

MandyBoo,

I recall from an earlier post that you're still pretty young (20?). Is your BF the same age as you? If so, I would try to think positive. There's no telling where the two of you will be in a few years career/money-wise. When I met DH, I was 20 and he was 24. He was barely scraping by in London doing odd jobs (human billboard was one of them). There was no way he could sponsor my visa even under the old rules. He moved back to Shropshire and in with his parents. He eventually got the job he has now. It took four years for us to get where we are now. Have faith!

I really am trying to stay positive! I just get these sincerely depressed days that I am just horribly discouraged. I am 20, however the boyfriend just turned 26 in June. He's had kitchen jobs since he was 16 and it's only now when I'm making it a very clear reality that we cannot be together on what he makes that he is making the effort to find a better job. Right now he's looking at a hospital job which he just did an interview with, and I really hope he gets it. Even though it is just 7 quid an hour still but he has the opportunity to at least make his way up with the job. So I am sincerely hoping we can somehow make us being together a real possibility because saying goodbye at the airport is gut wrenching. Thank you very much, you are quite possibly my favorite person to get responses from because you really give me a lot of hope that my boyfriend and I can someday be together like you two have pulled off.

Mandy - I understand what you mean about being upset by the rules.  We had a huge storm last Friday which set us without electricity for two days and internet for three.  Hindsight being what it is, that time away from the my own constant researching was probably good for me.

I have been back to researching too now, and I'm trying not to get overly emotional about them when I do read up on them. It's so hard not to when the genuineness of your relationship doesn't matter if you don't have the cash to back it up as well.

I really am trying to stay positive! I just get these sincerely depressed days that I am just horribly discouraged. I am 20, however the boyfriend just turned 26 in June.

I say stay positive and don't give up hope . If he can find a job (or work his way up to a job) that pays around £9 an hour instead of £7, he should be able to meet the requirement - it's not a completely unattainable salary and while it may take a bit of time, I'm sure he will be able to get there in the end .

When I was 26, I was earning only £7 working in retail (in the middle of the recession) and the job I had been offered had just fallen through, so I was contemplating being stuck in retail indefinitely and not ever being able to earn a better wage, but fast forward a couple of years and I'm now working in a decent job and earning well over the minimum threshold .

I have been back to researching too now, and I'm trying not to get overly emotional about them when I do read up on them. It's so hard not to when the genuineness of your relationship doesn't matter if you don't have the cash to back it up as well.

I understand completely.  You feel like a rug has been pulled out from under you. 

My husband and I had always thought we could return to Northern Ireland in our retirement.  We'll not ever have the annual income requirement that UKBA demands in our retirement years.  And we will not have the savings requirement either.  We will have a tidy sum, but it won't be that much. 

Younger people like yourself have hope.  For those of us nearing the end of our careers, the new rules are a sentence of exile for ex-pats.

I say stay positive and don't give up hope . If he can find a job (or work his way up to a job) that pays around £9 an hour instead of £7, he should be able to meet the requirement - it's not a completely unattainable salary and while it may take a bit of time, I'm sure he will be able to get there in the end .

When I was 26, I was earning only £7 working in retail (in the middle of the recession) and the job I had been offered had just fallen through, so I was contemplating being stuck in retail indefinitely and not ever being able to earn a better wage, but fast forward a couple of years and I'm now working in a decent job and earning well over the minimum threshold .

Yeah, that is what gives me hope now is that he would only be 2 quid away from it being possible. I think when I first read the rules I was just completely devastated and I wasn't thinking clearly at all because I let my emotional side take hold and I just thought, there's no way we could ever do this. He works in a small restaurant and still lives with his parents, there's no way we can be together. It really hit me hard, as I'm sure it did to others effected. I wasn't aware you made a lower-ish wage before, ironically the same at his age. Thanks for informing me of that, it really perks me up a little especially to know that you're doing pretty well off now.

I understand completely.  You feel like a rug has been pulled out from under you. 

My husband and I had always thought we could return to Northern Ireland in our retirement.  We'll not ever have the annual income requirement that UKBA demands in our retirement years.  And we will not have the savings requirement either.  We will have a tidy sum, but it won't be that much. 

Younger people like yourself have hope.  For those of us nearing the end of our careers, the new rules are a sentence of exile for ex-pats.

I really am sorry to hear that. It really breaks my heart to know that people are facing being torn apart by this. I am on the verge of tears now reading through the forum and seeing how many hard working people this is effecting. In my personal opinion all these new rules are going to end up doing is forcing people into coming in illegally because even though they'd want to do it the legal way they can't, because for a lot of people the price to be with their loved one is too high. I'd never do that because.. I just don't have the balls to, lol. Looking over your shoulder has to be a horrible existence, I don't know how the illegals already there do it.
They should find a better way to go about this, rather blaming Non-EU immigrants for some their problems when its more-so of the EEA immigrants that are freely coming in and causing a lot of the fuss from my understanding? I really wish I could sign that E-petition but I'm not a UK citizen. Got my boyfriend to sign though. I don't want to make it seem like I'm an expert or anything, because I'm far from it, but that is just how I am seeing things from my end..  However, I just think we all just need to stay a community because I have seen a lot of bickering reading through here. We need to all be there for eachother!

Thanks, MandyBoo. 

At least my husband and I aren't separated.  We are here together in the US.  We will be married seven years this October.  For us, life in the US is just something we no longer wanted.  But at least as you say we are together. 

I too think it's important that we try and support one another.  On the other hand, I think the rules themselves will only add to the bickering, as they are after all fostered on the public opinion of UK elitists.  I have read recently on uk-yankee the term "fringe cases".  I read this term not quite knowing what to make of it.  Is someone earning less than £18,600 living on the fringe of society?  And that is the opinion of people living in a society ordered by social safety nets? 

And so it seems the undesirables will be seen posting less on uk-yankee.  And living in other countries.

Like myself and my ex-pat husband.

I wasn't aware you made a lower-ish wage before, ironically the same at his age. Thanks for informing me of that, it really perks me up a little especially to know that you're doing pretty well off now.

No problem at all .

I was actually in a similar boat to your boyfriend at age 26. I was living with my parents, working in retail, and unable to find a good-paying graduate job.

I spent 9 years working in retail, earning just above minimum wage (age 18 to 27), first while I was at university and then for 3 years after I graduated. I didn't even start paying off my student loan until 2010 (I graduated in 2005) because I didn't earn above the minimum salary threshold for paying it off (£15,000) until I was 27.

They should find a better way to go about this, rather blaming Non-EU immigrants for some their problems when its more-so of the EEA immigrants that are freely coming in and causing a lot of the fuss from my understanding?

Honestly, I'm not sure of the exact impact of the EEA immigrants on UK immigration (someone recently suggested that they aren't as big a problem as is made out, but I don't know the exact numbers), but a couple of months ago, there was a news segment on TV about the influx of immigrants in Lincolnshire cities.

They were trying to tie it in with the new proposals from Teresa May and talking about how the new proposals might affect the immigrants living here... problem was, all the people they focused on in the segment were actually EEA citizens (mainly from Poland as there is a large Polish community here) who won't be affected by the new rules anyway!

Thank you very much, you are quite possibly my favorite person to get responses from because you really give me a lot of hope that my boyfriend and I can someday be together like you two have pulled off.

Awe. Thank you. It's my pleasure. I really think you guys can do this though. I'm rooting for you! 

You're a nice person, Plain Pearl.   

Thank you for saying that. That was very sweet of you.   

Thanks, MandyBoo. 

At least my husband and I aren't separated.  We are here together in the US.  We will be married seven years this October.  For us, life in the US is just something we no longer wanted.  But at least as you say we are together. 

I too think it's important that we try and support one another.  On the other hand, I think the rules themselves will only add to the bickering, as they are after all fostered on the public opinion of UK elitists.  I have read recently on uk-yankee the term "fringe cases".  I read this term not quite knowing what to make of it.  Is someone earning less than £18,600 living on the fringe of society?  And that is the opinion of people living in a society ordered by social safety nets? 

And so it seems the undesirables will be seen posting less on uk-yankee.  And living in other countries.

Like myself and my ex-pat husband.

I am glad you aren't separated at least, that is such a huge thing to have is eachother. Yeah, I agree, I just hate to see people get so bent out of shape and arguing. But it is understandable because people get frustrated, I know as I was/am one of them but I tend to go a little crazy so I thought it was best to stay away from the site until I cooled off and got my head on straight.

I'm not quite sure what to think of that either. I've never heard of that one before. Wasn't the current (not for long though) threshold £13,800 or something? Because I'm pretty sure people have been well off on that income. But.. the more I think of these new rules, the more it really pisses me off and I just wish I had Theresa May in front of me so I could give her a punch square to the nose. Would never ever happen, but I can dream can't I? (Although I sense I'd have to stand in line behind the people's lives she's screwing with that already live there)
However, this change has given me a whole new kind of respect for immigrants. Because now I know what it's like to not be wanted. Well, too bad for them, they will not keep me away from the person I want to be with. We will somehow make these requirements come hell or high-water.

No problem at all .

I was actually in a similar boat to your boyfriend at age 26. I was living with my parents, working in retail, and unable to find a good-paying graduate job.

I spent 9 years working in retail, earning just above minimum wage (age 18 to 27), first while I was at university and then for 3 years after I graduated. I didn't even start paying off my student loan until 2010 (I graduated in 2005) because I didn't earn above the minimum salary threshold for paying it off (£15,000) until I was 27.

Honestly, I'm not sure of the exact impact of the EEA immigrants on UK immigration (someone recently suggested that they aren't as big a problem as is made out, but I don't know the exact numbers), but a couple of months ago, there was a news segment on TV about the influx of immigrants in Lincolnshire cities.

They were trying to tie it in with the new proposals from Teresa May and talking about how the new proposals might affect the immigrants living here... problem was, all the people they focused on in the segment were actually EEA citizens (mainly from Poland as there is a large Polish community here) who won't be affected by the new rules anyway!

Well, I will definitely keep you in mind when I'm down then! Just remember that someone else was in his situation and now they are well off. I'm not 100% of their impact either, I'm just kind of going off a lot of things I've read. A lot of people make it seem like they just pack up their EEA families and move to the UK. Does anyone know where to see this kind of net migration on the matter so I may educate myself? Huh.. well, I don't find that too surprising. But hopefully down the line they eventually do something about EEA immigration as well 

Awe. Thank you. It's my pleasure. I really think you guys can do this though. I'm rooting for you! 

Thanks a bunch, it means a lot. He's actually going to bring me over in October this year, (crossfingers). Which if that happens it'd be the most we'd ever saw eachother in person in a year, three times if this pans out. I really hope we can make that happen, then I can celebrate my 21st birthday a month early. Hopefully when I'm legal here in the states as well, then the Brits won't try to get me hammered, lol. Have never been drunk and some are well and determined to get me there. No thank youuuu. 

Wasn't the current (not for long though) threshold £13,800 or something? Because I'm pretty sure people have been well off on that income.

£13,800 is NOT well off.
I earn just a little less than that, and am just scraping by.  If it weren't for my boyfriend's help, I would be really struggling.

£13,800 is NOT well off.
I earn just a little less than that, and am just scraping by.  If it weren't for my boyfriend's help, I would be really struggling.

It's a tad late here, almost three in the morning so excuse me, I am a tad tired. And when that happens I don't exactly explain myself as efficiently as I could. When I said "well off", that isn't what I actually meant. What I meant to say was that "you can get by on that kind of money." Even if it isn't well off, you're still getting by, even if it is just scraping by a living.

So, there, it is all clarified as to what I meant to say now. Happy days.

I've never heard of that one before. Wasn't the current (not for long though) threshold £13,800 or something? Because I'm pretty sure people have been well off on that income.

There isn't actually a threshold under the current rules. What they are looking to see is that you have enough to live off without accessing public funds. They decide this by looking at how much UK citizens on income support are given to live off each week after rent and council tax, which is £111.95 for a couple plus £64.99 per child.

So as a couple you would need to show that after paying rent and council tax in the UK, you have at least £111.95 left each week.

For a couple living with parents, not paying rent or council tax and who have no kids, the minimum needed would be only £5,821 per year. But for people with a larger family, who are paying a lot of rent, they might need £30,000 per year to meet the requirements.

Just remember that someone else was in his situation and now they are well off.

Well, I'm not sure I'd class myself as 'well off . My base salary is still below the national average, but it's only because I get allowances for shift work and weekend hours that I end up earning a bit more. However, it is a big step up from what I was earning before. My colleagues are often complaining about how crap their pay is (and they earn more than me!) and how they wish they could get a better paying job, so I guess it's all relative .