The UK Home Office has announced that overseas visitors who fail to pay off their National Health Service (NHS) treatment will soon be denied permission to enter or stay in the UK.

Changes to the Immigration rules were laid in Parliament on 10 October 2011, which would mean that those subject to immigration control who fail to settle an outstanding bill of £1,000 or more will not be allowed to enter or stay in the UK until the debt has been paid.

It is hoped that this new rule will capture 94 percent of outstanding charges owed to the NHS.