Boris Johnson showed he is “listening” by carrying out a snap U-turn last night on the NHS charge for health and care workers from overseas, a Cabinet minister said today.
The Prime Minister executed the about-turn hours after the Evening Standard revealed the scale of the Tory rebellion.
Details of the exemption will not be ready for days — and could open up a new hornet’s nest if ancillary workers who do not get it feel unfairly excluded.
The £400 annual charge is due to rise to £624 in October.
Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis put a positive spin on the news, telling LBC: “Well, I think it’s good for people to see that government is listening, always looking at these things.
"Those health workers are already contributing to the health service by the heroic work they do, so I think this is a good step forward.”
The change was a victory for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who raised it in the Commons on Wednesday. He tweeted: “Yesterday’s U-turn by Boris Johnson was the right thing to do. We cannot clap our carers one day and then charge them to use our NHS the next.”
Tory MP Richard Graham said: “Absolutely delighted that the current NHS annual ‘surcharge’ for foreign nationals has been lifted for all those working in the NHS or care homes. And for settled EU nationals. Wonderful news for a change I’ve long supported.”
