Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how they calculate the fees for (1) British citizenship, and (2) long-term residence in the UK, applications; and whether those fees are used (a) only to cover the direct expenses incurred from such applications, and (b) to defray the overall Home Office budget.

All immigration and nationality fees are set taking account of the criteria set out at Section 68(9) of the Immigration Act 2014:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/22/section/68

These criteria include the cost of processing the application; the benefits and entitlements provided by a successful application; and, the wider cost of running the Border, Immigration and Citizenship (BIC) System.

Fees from immigration products and services contribute to funding a sustainable BIC System and ultimately reduce the reliance on tax-payer funding. The Home Office keeps fees for immigration and nationality applications under review and ensures they are within the parameters agreed with Parliament.