Government scrambles to address ‘challenging’ situation after Ecctis Ltd passed fees on with no legal authority

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Thousands of people applying for visas in the UK have been unlawfully charged for language tests, the government has disclosed, but the Home Office is continuing to demand the fees because it needs the money.

Home Office minister Seema Malhotra made the admission to a Lords committee as the government scrambled to address what it described as a “challenging” situation.