Is the £38,700 income requirement for spouse visas in effect?

No. As of March 2026, the threshold is £29,000. The £38,700 figure was announced as the eventual target but has not yet been implemented. The government is reviewing the impact of the £29,000 threshold before confirming further increases.

How much savings would I need if the threshold were £38,700?

With no income at all, you would need (£38,700 x 2.5) + £16,000 = £112,750 in savings. With an income of £29,000, the shortfall would be £9,700, requiring savings of (£9,700 x 2.5) + £16,000 = £40,250.

Why was £38,700 chosen as the target?

The figure of £38,700 is the median full-time salary in the UK. The government's stated aim was to align the spouse visa income threshold with the Skilled Worker visa threshold, ensuring that family migrants bring a similar level of economic contribution.

Should I apply now or wait?

If you currently meet the £29,000 threshold, apply now. There is no advantage in waiting, and if the threshold increases, it will be harder to qualify. The current requirements are what matter for current applications.

Spouse Visa £38,700 Income Threshold: What If It Increases

The £38,700 threshold has been announced as the target but is not yet in effect (the current threshold is £29,000). This guide explains what £38,700 would mean in practice, the savings required, the impact on different groups, and how to prepare.

Current Status

The government announced in December 2023 that the spouse visa income threshold would rise from £18,600 to £38,700 in stages. The first stage — an increase to £29,000 — took effect in April 2025. The current threshold remains at £29,000.

As of early 2026, no date has been confirmed for the next increase. The government has indicated it will review the impact of the £29,000 threshold before proceeding to £34,500 and eventually £38,700. This review could result in the planned increases being delayed, modified, or abandoned.

What £38,700 Would Mean

If the threshold were raised to £38,700, the impact would be significant:

Approximately 40-50% of UK workers earn below £38,700 per year
The impact would be greatest outside London and the South East, where average salaries are lower
Many public sector workers (teachers, nurses, social workers) earn below this threshold
Younger couples and those early in their careers would be disproportionately affected

Savings at £38,700

The savings calculation would be:

No income: (£38,700 x 2.5) + £16,000 = £112,750
Income of £29,000: (£9,700 x 2.5) + £16,000 = £40,250
Income of £35,000: (£3,700 x 2.5) + £16,000 = £25,250

These are substantial sums that would put the spouse visa out of reach for many couples without adequate savings. The savings must be held for 6 months — last-minute deposits do not count.

Legal Challenges

The income threshold has been the subject of legal challenges in the past. In 2017, the Supreme Court upheld the £18,600 threshold but said the Home Office must consider the best interests of children and apply the rules with flexibility in exceptional cases.

A threshold of £38,700 — more than double the original — could face fresh legal challenges, particularly on the grounds that it disproportionately separates families and interferes with the right to family life under Article 8 of the ECHR.

How to Prepare

Whether or not the threshold increases further, there are practical steps you can take:

Apply now if you meet the current threshold. If you currently qualify at £29,000, do not delay. A future increase would make it harder.
Build savings. Even if not needed now, savings provide a buffer if the threshold increases before your extension or ILR application.
Increase income. Consider career development, promotion, or additional employment to boost the sponsor's income.
Plan for combined income at extension. At the extension stage, both partners' UK income counts, making a higher threshold easier to meet.

The 10-Year Route Alternative

If the threshold does increase and you cannot meet it, the 10-year route based on Article 8 human rights grounds remains available. This route does not require meeting the income threshold but is longer and more expensive.

Next Steps

Focus on the current requirement of £29,000. Apply now if you are ready. Build savings as a buffer. Monitor the GOV.UK immigration rules changes page for any announcements about further increases. Read our 2026 changes guide for the latest updates.

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