Groups supporting migrant workers have launched a legal challenge to the government’s new policy banning care workers from bringing their children and partners to the UK, saying the policy is “tearing families apart”. ‘ he warned.
According to Migrants at Work, care workers must choose between living at home with their children and partner or taking up work as a health worker or social carer in the UK; they can no longer do both. .
The controversial policy, which came into force last month, comes as vacancies in the adult social care workforce stand at almost 10%.
Home Secretary James Cleverley said: change It was established to crack down on high levels of non-compliance, exploitation and abuse in the care sector.
A report by the Migration Advisory Committee estimates that 236,000 full-time care staff will be needed across the UK over the next 11 years.
a report A review submitted to the Commons Public Accounts Committee last month found there were 152,000 vacancies in the care sector, a vacancy rate of 9.9%. The report said the changes were introduced at a time when “social care workforce shortages are of serious concern”.
The lawsuit alleges the policy is discriminatory on a variety of grounds, including gender and race, and violates public sector equality obligations. It claims the Home Secretary has not taken into account the needs of care sector workers.
Ake Achi, founding chief executive of Migrants at Work, said: “The Home Office’s changes to health and social care visas will further exacerbate staffing shortages in the adult social care workforce.”
“In addition to this, carers who want to come to the UK are now faced with a difficult choice: take up a job contributing to social care provision in the UK during the crisis, or continue to live with their children. partners with us.
“Under the new rules, they will not be allowed to do both. Also, since the new rules were introduced, future care workers will not be allowed to stay in the UK as dependents. We have seen cases where people have been told they have to leave the UK.The new rules are already tearing families apart and will have a dire impact on the wider care sector.”
Jeremy Bloom, lawyer for Duncan Lewis and representing Working Migrants, said the Home Office still had an opportunity to ignore the new rules and save on legal costs.
He added: “There is no evidence that the Home Office has properly considered the impact this will have on people coming to the UK on health and social care visas, vulnerable people who need access to social care, or social health. I’ve never seen it before,” he added. A broader system of social care. ”
He accused the Home Secretary of ignoring the impact this would have on staffing shortages in the social security sector.
“The Secretary of State has made clear that a full impact assessment was not carried out before introducing this policy, which raises very serious questions about whether he complies with public sector equality obligations. It is causing concern.”
A government spokesperson said: “Care workers make a vital contribution to society, but immigration is not the long-term answer to our social care needs.” In the year to September 2023, an estimated 120,000 dependents accompanied 100,000 care workers. This number is unsustainable, so reforms are now being implemented to restrict care workers from bringing their dependents with them. ”
