New £38,700 income visa rule will be introduced in early 2025, confirms Rishi Sunak

The rise from the current £18,600 level was announced earlier this month and had been scheduled for the spring.

However, the government has rowed back and now says the increase will come in two stages.

Next spring, the threshold will rise to £29,000, with the further rise not applying until the following year.

Speaking in Lincoln, Mr Sunak defended the timetable, saying: "The principle here is absolutely right that if people are bringing dependents into this country as part of their family, they must be able to support them.

"We're doing exactly as we said we would. We're just doing it in two stages. So it will go up in a few months time and then it will go up again the full amount in early 2025."

On Thursday, the Home Office announced the threshold would rise only to £29,000 in the spring before increasing to £38,700, but gave no further timetable.

However, on Friday Mr Sunak provided more details when he said the figure would rise to the full amount in early 2025.