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The rules have changed since April 2024. If you were on spouse visa before April 2024, you have to meet the old rules untill settlement (ILR) in the United Kingdom. In the old rules, the income threshold was £18,600 for the spouse visa, and an additional income was required for children i.e. £3,800 for your first child, and £2,400 for each child you have after your first child

Since April 2024 the rules have changed. The income threshold is now £29,000. This can be combined if both applicant and the sponsor are in the UK. The good news is you do not need an additional income for children:

You may be able to use your savings instead of income of at least £88,500 as compared to the previous threshold for savings of £62,500. You can calculate the savings requirment by £88,500 - £16,000) / 2.5 = £29,000. You can also rely on multiple income (combined from different sources) i.e. savings, self-employment, employed income, rental, divident etc.

If you are on certain benefits i.e. PIP [Personal Independent Payment], DLA [Disability Living Allowance], you are exempt from income threshold of £29,000.

You will still be required to meet the 'adequate maintainance' requirement which is a certain amount that the sponsor should be left with after the total income and house expense is deducted. For example, if MR K is on PIP earning and has a total income of £480 a week (A). His total expense including (council tax, and rent) is £180 (B). The weekly income support for couple is £144 (C). The calcuation to meet the adequate maintaince criteria is A - B ? C. i.e. 480-188 = 292; 292 is greater than 144 and therefore the adequate maintance criteria is met.

You may need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply if you are national of certain countries. English language is exempt if you are a child, you are over 65, you have a physical or mental condition, you are applying as an adult coming to be cared for by a relative, or if you have been in the UK on a family visa for 5 years and you are extending it as a partner or parent.

You can prove your knowledge of English if you have a degree or academic qualification that was taught or researched in English.

If your qualification is from a UK university or college, you only need your degree certificate.
You will need to provide a certificate from Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) to show that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelors degree or higher and that it was taught in English.

There are 2 kinds of certificate:

1. A statement of comparability
2. A visa and nationality statement

You can prove your knowledge of English by passing an approved English language test. You must pass at least level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale for your first visa application. You can choose to take a higher level test. You will need an A2 level for an extension and a B1 level of English for Indefinite leave to remain (also known as settlement, ILR).