Care Sector Staff Crisis

The leader of Kent County Council has called on the government to reconsider new restrictions on using care workers from overseas.

Reform UK's Linden Kemkaran has written to the Home Secretary arguing for changes, even though her party generally supports policies that might reduce levels of immigration to the UK.

The government is banning care home bosses from recruiting staff directly from overseas after 22nd July. 

Around 70% of Kent County Council’s annual £1.5bn budget is spent on social care. K.C.C. itself provides social care but also commissions other outside bodies.

Cllr Kemkaran told the BBC: "I am not opposing a government plan to reduce immigration. I am complaining to the minister about the changing - at the last minute - of the timescale to cut social care visas." 

Cllr Kemkaran (pictured below) continued: "We were told initially that there would be a transitional period of a few years to allow Kent County Council to recruit in place of the foreign born workers".

Around 25% of workers in adult social care in Kent are currently from overseas.

Cllr Kemkaran has received support for her stance from the Liberal Democrats who are also angry that K.C.C. and care providers have not been formally notified of the Home Office changes.

Danielle Cave (pictured below), who's the manager of the Hale Place care home in East Peckham near Tonbridge told the BBC: "If it wasn't for our overseas workers, we would be massively understaffed." 

Danielle Cave continued: "It is a very hard industry to recruit. We have done a recruitment drive and the majority of them that are applying are overseas workers - very minimal British citizens have applied."

In a statement, the Home Office said it was determined to restore order to what it called "our broken immigration system" and end reliance on overseas labour. 

The Home Office said transitional arrangements would guard against any "cliff edge" and argued that individuals already in the U.K. can switch into health and care jobs, provided they are already working in the sector.

The Home Office said it is boosting funding for social care authorities by up to £3.7 billion over the next year but it recognised the scale of reform needed to make adult social care attractive as a career.

In her letter to the government, the K.C.C. leader Cllr Kemkaran speaks of her "grave concern" about the changes which mean care homes will only be able to recruit overseas born workers who are already in the UK having finished other jobs.

Co-signed by Cllr Diane Morton, the K.C.C. social care cabinet member, the letter from Cllr Kemkaran states: “Across the contracts for the council’s adult social care and health services there are approximately 150 providers we are aware of who have sponsorship licences which is equal to 20-25% of our social care workforce being from overseas.

“There are a number of displaced social care workers who may have lost their jobs, or the sponsoring provider has lost their licence.”

The letter adds: “Kent Integrated Care Alliance (KICA) has advised us that the Government has ringfenced £2m for the south east so providers could pick up these displaced people and get them into work.

“They would receive £5,000 each, however in three years’ time or when the visa expires, they are currently expected to pay the care worker £41,000 a year. This is £10,000 more than a band five nurse in the NHS.”

Coupled with the employers having to cover the cost of two national insurance rises, “this is totally unsustainable, and the risk is that many care workers at this level will go home and leave providers on a cliff edge”, says the letter.

Cllr Kemkaran adds: “This is obviously a national issue, and it is too early to describe the long-term impact on the council and care providers.

“Our contracts require all commissioned services to ensure they can deliver the required services and have business continuity plans in place and communicate any difficulties relating to service delivery.

“However, due to the challenges facing the adult social care system in general, and care providers in particular, we urge you to reconsider these changes and look forward to your support in addressing these urgent pressing matters.”

The same letter was sent to the minister for social care, Stephen Kinnock.

Lib Dem Cllr Antony Hook (pictured below) said: “KCC has rightly acknowledged the importance of overseas workers to the care sector.

“Under the plans in the government’s immigration white paper, care providers will be able to apply until 2028 to extend their workers’ visas, but will have to pay the Home Office’s Immigration Skills Charge, which the Government is raising to £1,320 for each worker per year of their visa.

“This means a five-year extension for just one care worker would cost their employer £6,600 upfront. The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to waive this fee for NHS and care staff.

“Imposing crippling Home Office fees on top of the Government’s misguided jobs tax (the national insurance increase) will just make the crisis even worse, pushing many care homes to the brink and leaving our loved ones in the lurch.

“People who have moved to the UK to look after our elderly and disabled people are doing tough jobs and helping to keep our NHS on its feet. They should be thanked for their contribution, not demonised.”