Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to take steps to (a) support people applying to bring non-EEA partners into the country that are required to meet the Minimum Income Requirement but are facing financial difficulties as a result of the covid-19 outbreak and (b) protect the health of those applicants in the event that they continue to work during the covid-19 outbreak as a result of that requirement.

The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those affected by the covid-19 outbreak. We continue to monitor the situation closely and take these exceptional circumstances into account. We may make further adjustments to requirements where necessary and appropriate.

The minimum income requirement can be met in several ways in addition to or instead of income from employment or self-employment. For example, income from the couple’s investments, property rental or pension may also be taken into account, together with their cash savings.