Elderly relatives of immigrants banned from claiming benefits for 5 years This will also ease the pressure on public services, saving the taxpayer as much as £570million in health costs over the next decade, £530m in benefit claims and £340m in education spending. Theresa May, the Home Secretary, said: "We welcome those who wish to make a life in the UK with their family, work hard and make a contribution but family life must not be established here at the taxpayer's expense. To play a full part in British life, family migrants must be able to integrate - that means they must speak our language and pay their way. This is fair to applicants, but also fair to the public. British citizens can enter into a relationship with whomever they choose but if they want to establish their family life here, they must do so in a way which works in the best interests of our society. The statement of intent published on Monday represents the final stage of the Coalition's review of entry routes into Britain, following proposals covering work, study, visitors and work to settlement. The main change is the introduction of an income threshold of £18,600 - rising to £22,400 for those with one child - for anyone who wants to bring a spouse or partner into the country from outside Europe. Those who do arrive here will be denied the right of immediate settlement, entitling them to access to the welfare system. To stop bogus marriages and forced ones, border officials will carry out more investigation into whether or not relationships are genuine. Couples may have to show "evidence" of their devotion as well as demonstrating that they have shared financial responsibilities, have visited each other's home countries and have definite plans for their new lives together. If a priest or social worker raises doubts about the marriage or one party appears to have learning difficulties, or they do not know personal details about each other, the visa could be refused. The "probationary period" before spouses can apply for settlement on the family route will be increased from two to five years to test the strength of their relationship. In recent years, migrant spouses have had to speak basic English but from October 2013 they will have to have an "intermediate" understanding of the language. They will have to take a speaking and listening test rather than just a written exam, and a rewritten Life in the UK book will mean more questions about the country's heritage. The changes, some of which will come into force next month, will also restrict the numbers of non-European "adult dependent relatives" who can settle in Britain "in view of the significant NHS and social care costs to which these cases can give rise." Applicants will not be able to visit this country and then apply to stay here, while uncles, aunts and cousins will not be allowed to take advantage of the family route to settlement. "We will end the routine expectation of settlement in the UK for parents and grandparents aged 65 or over who are financially dependent on a relative here," the Home Office document said. Elderly foreigners who want to move to Britain will have to demonstrate that their health needs can only be provided by relatives "and without recourse to public funds." The applicant and sponsor will have to sign an undertaking confirming that they will not make any demands on the health, welfare and social care systems for five years after arriving in the country. The DWP would be able to claw back benefits if they were wrongly paid out, officials said.