Funding continues despite reduction; unions call for reform of sponsorship system
The UK government has renewed its commitment to support overseas care staff who have lost employment due to visa non-compliance or exploitative practices by care providers. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will allocate £12.5 million to 15 regional partnerships across England in 2025-26—down from £16 million in the previous year.
The funding aims to assist international care workers who came to the UK on skilled worker visas and subsequently lost their roles after their employers were found to be violating immigration rules or engaging in unethical practices. Such violations have led the Home Office to revoke or suspend more than 470 sponsorship licences in the care sector since July 2022.
When a licence is revoked, existing staff lose their certificate of sponsorship, giving them just 60 days to find a new sponsor or face removal from the UK.
Rising Reports of Exploitation
Reports of exploitation have risen sharply, with the Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) highlighting cases of staff forced to work excessive hours under threat of deportation, being charged high fees for jobs and accommodation, and in some instances, receiving no work at all.
In response, regional partnerships—comprising local councils and care providers—have been tasked with offering support services, including job matching, English language support, and assistance with UK driving licences. Mailboxes have also been set up for affected workers to seek help.
Between July 2024 and February 2025, around 8,800 displaced workers contacted the partnerships, with approximately 550 successfully placed in new roles.
However, the scale of the issue remains unclear. Stephen Kinnock, Minister for Care, acknowledged the lack of clarity around how many individuals were affected by cancelled sponsorships, particularly in regions like the East Midlands, where thousands of certificates may have been revoked.
Regional Partnerships Mobilize
Local partnerships are working to contact affected workers using information provided by the UK Visas and Immigration agency (UKVI), although response rates have been low. In the East Midlands, officials reported only a 20% response rate to outreach efforts.
Despite these challenges, local leaders praised the continued funding. “The £12.5 million for 2025-26 is sufficient,” said one regional coordinator. “We are grateful for the DHSC’s ongoing support, which allows us to help displaced staff rebuild their lives and careers.”
Calls for System Reform
UNISON, the UK’s largest union, welcomed the funding but urged a revamp of the sponsorship system itself. Gavin Edwards, UNISON’s Head of Social Care, criticized the current employer-led model, which he said leaves workers vulnerable.
“International recruits providing care in the UK shouldn’t need protection from exploitation, fraud and mistreatment,” Edwards said. “We need a sector-wide sponsorship system managed by the government to prevent rogue employers from threatening workers with dismissal or deportation.”
Martin Green, Chief Executive of Care England, also supported the work of regional partnerships. “We must ensure that colleagues who have come from overseas are supported if they lose their current roles,” he said.
As the care sector continues to rely heavily on international recruits, the government’s next steps in reforming the visa and sponsorship system could have far-reaching impacts on both workforce stability and the protection of vulnerable workers.
Source: LIIE IMMIGRATION
