Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that spousal visa applications are processed in line with equality standards, especially where one party has (a) a learning disability and (b) Down's Syndrome.

The partner route under Appendix FM includes different requirements for those who have a disability in recognition of the Home Office’s equality obligations. For example, where the sponsor is claiming certain health disability allowances the family must meet the adequate maintenance test rather than the minimum income requirement and applicants are exempt from meeting English language requirements if they have a disability which prevents them learning English.

All applications are considered on a case-by-case basis and where there are vulnerabilities, the caseworker will take this into consideration. Equality Impact Assessments are kept under review and updated as necessary.