Kim Day | Senior Immigration Lawyer

Will I get a refund of the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) if I change jobs?

08/07/2026

Yes, you will get a refund of the IHS payments you made for future years in the UK if you change jobs and have paid for the IHS again. Your eligibility, and how you obtain an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) refund, will however depend on your individual visa situation and circumstances.

We’ve explained some of the more common questions about IHS refunds and whether you’ll be able to obtain one below.

Will I get an IHS refund if I change jobs but stay within the same visa category?

The most common situation we’ve seen regarding IHS refunds is where a migrant has had to pay for the IHS twice due to changing jobs. Usually this is through the Skilled Worker route.

This is because whenever you change jobs, you need to apply for a new Skilled Worker visa, and be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship from your new employer. During this application, you will also need to pay the IHS fee for the years granted on your new Skilled Worker visa to start your new job. However, in some cases, this means applicants will have paid the IHS fee for certain years multiple times.

In situations like this, you are eligible for an IHS refund. IHS refund eligibility is calculated in 6-month periods and is rounded down to the nearest 6-months.

For example, a Skilled Worker might receive a 5-year visa valid from June 2025 to 2030. In October 2029, they decide to change jobs and apply for a new 5-year Skilled Worker visa, which is granted. In this situation, they would be eligible for an IHS refund for payments made to cover the final 6 months, because these years are now covered by the second IHS payment made in their new application, and because the eligibility is rounded down to the nearest 6 months.

If you believe you’re eligible for an IHS refund but you’re not sure how much or how the process works, please make sure to contact our team directly.

Do I need to apply for an IHS refund if I’ve changed jobs?

If you’re eligible for an IHS refund, you shouldn’t need to apply for the refund or do anything yourself. Your IHS refund should be paid directly back to the account or card you made the payment with originally.

Please remember that this means if someone else paid for your IHS on your behalf, the refund will be sent to their card or bank account.

However, we have heard of situations where these refunds haven’t been processed. If you haven’t received your IHS refund within 6 weeks, you’ll need to contact UKVI to escalate the issue. If you’re having trouble with this, please contact us directly.

Will I get an IHS refund if I leave the UK before my visa expires?

In some cases, Skilled Workers receive job offers outside of the UK, and choose to leave their jobs in the UK early to work elsewhere. If you do this, you will not be eligible for an IHS refund for the years you didn’t spend in the UK.

Choosing to do this also means that you break continuous residence in the UK, which makes your route to Settlement harder if you choose to move back to the UK again in the future.

Will I get an IHS refund if I switch to a Health and Care visa?

The Health and Care visa is exempt from the IHS. This means you won’t have to pay for the IHS for the years granted on a Health and Care visa.

However, this gets a bit more complicated if you’re on a different visa and take part-time care work, or you switch to Health and Care from the Skilled Worker route.

You are eligible for an IHS refund, rounded down to the nearest 6 months. You will however, need to apply for this online on this gov.uk page. You’ll need to provide:

Your IHS number for the period you’re claiming for
Your National Insurance number
Your email address
The name of the organisation you work for
IHS numbers of any dependants you’re applying for
A copy of your employment contract
Copies of your payslips for the 6 months you’re claiming for

More information about IHS refund eligibility for people working in health and care can also be found on the NHS website.

Will I get an IHS refund if I apply for ILR?

No, you are not eligible for an IHS refund if you apply for Settlement, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

You won’t receive any of your IHS payments back, even if they amount to multiple future years. Because of this, it’s often wise to plan your approach to Settlement, and when you will ideally complete your application, ahead of time.

IHS refund FAQs

Q: Are IHS refunds processed automatically?

A: Yes, IHS refunds should be processed automatically if you’re eligible, and should arrive in the original account you paid with within 6 weeks. If this hasn’t happened, you should contact UKVI directly.

Q: Will I receive all of the IHS money I paid if I’m refunded?

A: You won’t receive a refund for the years you have already spent in the UK. You will only receive an IHS refund for future years, as these will be covered by your new IHS payment. This will be calculated and rounded down to the nearest 6 months.

Q: Will I get an IHS refund if I switch to a Health and Care visa?

A: No, you won’t be eligible for an IHS refund because the Health and Care visa is exempt from the IHS. You won’t have to pay for the IHS for your new job, but any years you’ve already paid for during your Skilled Worker application won’t be refunded. If you are eligible then your dependants will also receive a refund.

Q: Will my family get an IHS refund if I change jobs?

A: Your dependents may also be eligible for an IHS refund if you change jobs, however please note that they will not usually need to be included in your application. Please see our separate blog posts Does My Family Need a New Visa When I Change Jobs? for more details regarding this.