UK social care staffing crisis worsened by immigration reforms

The trade union UNISON has warned that UK government immigration reforms are exacerbating the social care staffing crisis. According to UNISON’s analysis, new international recruits in care roles are projected to drop from 105,000 in 2023/24 to 30,000 in 2025/26, while the number of domestic workers filling these roles has decreased by 70,000 over the same period.

UNISON has urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to reconsider plans that would extend the waiting period for international health and care staff to settle in the UK from five years to 15 years. The union argues that such restrictions, alongside the current system of tying visas to specific employers, leave workers vulnerable to exploitation regarding wages and living conditions. UNISON is calling for sector-wide visa sponsorship to protect staff.

Complementing these concerns, a report by NCFE highlights that the sustainability of adult social care depends on addressing recruitment and retention. The report emphasizes the need for fair reward, career progression, and professional stability to ensure the sector can meet growing demand and support the government’s ambitions for a National Care Service.