Reunite Families UK

Become a Family Champion – Reunite Families UK Love is universal. It’s a fundamental emotion every human being needs and wants.

To change this, we are looking for Family Champions: people that'll tell their family, friends and MPs that we need a fair and humane family migration system that doesn't discriminate based on our income, gender or the colour of our skin. Will you join us? reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/become-a-fam...

We urge the Government to act upon the Migration Advisory Committee's recommendation and introduce a policy that:

1️⃣does not willingly keep people in poverty until they are settled in the country

2️⃣Protect the mental health and wellbeing of people that come into contact with it;

Reunite Families UK wins legal costs in case against government – Reunite Families UK Reunite Families UK wins legal costs in judicial review brought by the organisation against the increases to the Minimum Income Requirement announced in December 2023.

A system that as our award of legal costs against the Government proves ignored the impact on families, and didn’t consider children’s needs and acted unlawfully:
reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/reunite-fami...

This summer, this @teamlabouruk.bsky.social Government has the opportunity to change all of this. To really be recognised as the party protecting families up and down the country and dismantle the classist and racist system introduced by the previous Conservative administration

A system that time and again has been found to cause untold damages to couples, families and children. A system that needs change as soon as possible because people shouldn't be punished for falling in love or for not earning the amount the government consider sufficient to have a family

"It's a rigged system that punish people for the ""mistake"" of having fallen in love with someone who wasn't born on these shores.
A system that, since its introduction in 2012, has separated thousands of couples, split children from one of their parents and caused a mental health crisis"

Instead of planning their holidays together, they are forced to deal with an unfair system that prevents them to be together with their loved ones or keep them deliberately in poverty whilst they try to meet the prohibitive high visa and health surcharge costs.
#FamiliesBelongTogether

For many couples and families summer is the time when they can celebrate their love together.
However, for the thousands separated by the spouse visa rules, it is harder still because this racist and classist policy never takes a break or never allow people to take a break from it

Thanks Peter for all your support !
Let's hope Ministers are listening and deliver us the changes couples and families impacted by this policy need.

A huge achievement @rfuk.bsky.social and proud to have supported this case👏

This case also demonstrates RFUK’s effectiveness in strategic litigation to influence policy.

It highlights the importance of continued support for legal advocacy and community-led campaigns that hold the Government accountable

Ultimately Families Belong Together and we must fight for that right

For anyone affected by the spouse migration rules:

The rules are being reviewed, and RFUK will keep fighting for fairer policies.

This is a big win for couples and families who want to live together in the UK.

Dame Justice Lang DBE ruled in favour of RFUK, stating:

RFUK achieved its goal of having the decision reconsidered

The Government implicitly acknowledged material flaws in the original decision to increase the MIR

RFUK was the successful party and deserved to have their legal costs covered

As the ‘winning party’ RFUK asked the Government to pay their legal costs but the Government refused and so we had to ask the court to decide whether we should get our costs.

The court has now ordered the Government to pay RFUK’s legal costs.

RFUK had therefore been successful in the litigation and so agreed to withdraw, as the Government had agreed to make a fresh decision

The Government initially defended its decision but later asked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to review the MIR. It agreed to reconsider the increases and make a new decision based on the MAC's findings.

YouTube video by Reunite Families UK RFUK - Impacts on children due to the family migration rules

RFUK challenged the govn in court arguing that they acted unlawfully in three ways. They failed:
To conduct proper research before making the decision
Consider the impact on protected groups
Consider the best interests of children

In 2024, Reunite Families UK (RFUK) brought a court case challenging the UK Government’s decision to raise the Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) which was set to increase in three stages:
From £18,600 to £29,000 (implemented in April 2024)
To £34,000 in January 2025
To £38,700 in April 2025

YouTube video by Reunite Families UK Love in Limbo - June 2025

In Dec 2023, the previous govn suddenly announced an increase in the MIR from £18,600 to £38,700. Around 70% of the workforce do not earn that. After huge backlash, they reduced it to £29,000 with the intention of increasing it in stages back up to £38,700

YouTube video by Reunite Families UK RFUK - Overview of the UK's Spouse Partner Migration Policy - The Minimum Income Requirement [MIR]

***Reunite Families UK wins legal costs in case against government***

If you want to live in the UK with your non-Brit partner the British/settled resident must earn a Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) of £29,000. 50% of the workforce don’t earn that. Not even some of the Home Office’s own staff 🧵

Become a Family Champion – Reunite Families UK Love is universal. It’s a fundamental emotion every human being needs and wants.

No children:

1️⃣ Should grow up without one of their parent because of cruel immigration rules

2️⃣ Should worry from a young age about the financial situation of their family

3️⃣ Should suffer from poor mental health caused deliberately by government.

Join us:
reunitefamiliesuk.co.uk/become-a-fam...

RFUK - Impacts on children due to the family migration rules

"From the beginning of our organisation we quickly realised how children were the biggest and most hidden victims of this policy.
Watch this animation to learn more: www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6WG...

Impacts on children has also been the subject of the child-centred interviews @wearecoram.bsky.social conducted on our behalf as part of our 3-year research project into the impacts of the rules generously supported by @phf-uk.bsky.social
Read more here: www.coram.org.uk/news/coram-i...

The MAC's findings are also very concerning regarding the evidence of mental health problems among children including

▶️ difficulty establishing meaningful parental relationships with the absent partner

▶️ and feelings of rejection

The MAC’s findings on the policy are damning:

▶️Impact on families: As the MIR can have significant negative impacts on the family life of British citizens or settled residents, and their children

▶️Most negative impacts for people who did not qualify or who were separated for long periods "

When the Labour Government came into power, the Home Secretary commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to review the financial requirements including the Minimum Income Requirement (MIR), since the 2012 expansion of the Hostile Environment and a key barrier to family life in the UK.

Why now ?
2025 is a key and fundamental time to defend our collective right to love whoever we choose and build a family with them regardless of our income, where we are from in the UK or the passport our loved one holds.

Why now ?
In a world that is becoming increasingly hostile, we need this campaign more than ever because if we remove love, family, and our support network from our life what we are left with?

RFUK - Overview of the UK's Spouse Partner Migration Policy - The Minimum Income Requirement [MIR]

"Can you imagine a life without your partner, your children? Can you imagine not being able to be a grandparent to your grandkids because they weren’t allowed to be a family in the UK?
To find out more about the family migration rules watch our short animation:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiJp...

Here in the UK, increasingly restrictive policies within an increasingly toxic immigration space means that being a bi-national couple or family has become a privilege that few amongst us can afford.