The debate around care visas in the political space boils down to people saying stuff like this - we desperately need people. It's a good soundbite but... A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted. Why? - ThreadSky

lukepiper.bsky.social • 2 days ago

The debate around care visas in the political space boils down to people saying stuff like this - we desperately need people.

It's a good soundbite but...

A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.

Why?

Reposted from Peter Stefanovic

BREAKING: “We will be closing the care worker visa for overseas recruitment” - Home Secretary Yvette Cooper

Don’t we have a desperate shortage of care workers?

Comments

deepeetee.bsky.social•6 hours ago

I have direct experience of bad actors in this sector, exploitation of caring humans is rife

susanchubb1.bsky.social•1 day ago

The Rot deep within the entire employ are / Private provider and a racist stream of Government in U.K; that believes privatisation solves everything and De Regulation only helps, too. They are STILL hell bent on making things worse ; not better

susanchubb1.bsky.social•1 day ago

Care work is deeply unfair ( to employees; carers ) top down & Govt knows it, too. Its exploitation for poverty wages ; no wonder they can’t keep
Staff. It’s the poor clients you feel
Sorry for; too. Left at the mercy of rogue firms and their Privateer Run bosses.

susanchubb1.bsky.social•1 day ago

On top
Of that: GBD Let It Rip as Policy : and yet Yvette Cooper sits there spouting that load of crap; she’s meant to be intelligent & as I don’t doubt that ; I wonder why she’s happy gaslighting U.K. Public with this latest load of crap.

susanchubb1.bsky.social•1 day ago

Then Suddenly ; this happens. I wondder where all the Freeport Hell and Fossil
fuel linked Funders for U.K. Universities suddenly disappeared to? Quelle surprise that hasn’t worked out hey? https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-politics-2025-5-government-plans-levy-on-universities-overseas-fee-income/

susanchubb1.bsky.social•1 day ago

Meanwhile all the poor souls being stripped of benefits will be turning up at A&E & GP surgeries: desperate for help of all kinds from food to care - as Starmer & his Govt strip them of the means to survive; and Starmer & UkLabour will wonder what went wrong. I despair . I absolutely fecking despair

susanchubb1.bsky.social•1 day ago

Labour MPs who all ‘look like’ they could ( might) be aware enough to oppose what Starmer is doing; but we all know they will shout a lot; and actually do sweet feck all about it. Unfit to Govern to the core ; AllInitTogetherApplies and WeToldYouSo: many times over. Get a grip UkLabour ‘lovies’;fast

poplarkins.bsky.social•6 hours ago

You are very right! The same kind of depressing analysis applies across most areas of British life. I had hoped that Labour would be bold when elected. Instead, they have just been more of the same. We need radical, people- focused change now. Who’s going to lead it though? I’m too old!

susanchubb1.bsky.social•3 hours ago

I refused to vote for them because I had an inkling of exactly how far the FreeportHell rot had set in before the GE; and said so ; at the time; much to the ire of UkLabour ‘wilfully blind and Faithfull’ who dished up every piss poor excuse & insult they could think up to defend their idiocy.

susanchubb1.bsky.social•2 hours ago

I really hoped as things got steadily worse UkLabour Faithfull would have a ‘wake up’ moment; maybe that is at last starting to happen; but the rot really is very deep & its Westminster itself that helps maintain the ‘rot set in ‘ status. Much to change : for sure

susanchubb1.bsky.social•2 hours ago

Labour could at least start by admitting they have comprehensively failed ; ( so could Tories!) but that doesn’t mean they’re ready to put it right ; Lexit Brexit FreePortHell Corbyn, Blair Starmer all failed; & till they are; 0 change will happen. Still
Too much denial on it all.

poplarkins.bsky.social•2 hours ago

Who would you choose to lead the recovery? I had hopes for Andy Burnham, but he’s (probably sensibly) keeping his nose out of things for now. Labour needs to start listening to people like you and me rather than aping the Tories and Reform.

poplarkins.bsky.social•2 hours ago

TBH I voted tactically to ensure we got rid of the Tories as my absolute top priority. Glad to say that objective achieved. It’s all been downhill from there, and yes, @EuropeanPowell’s worst fears are coming home. I want us to own our country not foreign asset-strippers!

susanchubb1.bsky.social•2 hours ago

For a long time it didn’t make sense that UkLabour ‘Sat on their hands’ in Westminster; now it does; sadly. Complicit in The Damage explains and that goes to core policy & is long standing ( decades worth). Corbyn sold out (like Blair before him) he is NOT coming to ‘rescue’ UkLabour, either.

susanchubb1.bsky.social•2 hours ago

The very WAY LEPs and L.Authorities got roped in ; means the rot goes as far as Local Council level; ( who will ALSO count as victims!) so it’s hard to reach everyone. There’s much I agree with European Powell on; the juggernaught of FreeportHell will be damn hard to stop .

poplarkins.bsky.social•2 hours ago

Agree on all counts. Imagine how different things might have been if Burnham had beaten Corbyn in the leadership election…

westy44.bsky.social•1 day ago

The private sector is using overseas low paid workers to make large profits, IMO closing this visa scheme should see wages rise for care workers and hopefully a higher skilled and qualified workforce.

This again is the tories and their backers wanting cheap labour.

telson.bsky.social•1 day ago

It will see none of those things.

canaryb1rd.bsky.social•1 day ago

Hence causing care home fees to rise even further, my mother is already paying a small fortune per month from the sale of her house.

westy44.bsky.social•1 day ago

Thats because the private sector has been allowed to make big profits at the expense of public sector availability. This is the same in education, dental and other care providers. The tories cut public funding to the bone so you are left with little or no choice.

nicoledso.bsky.social•1 day ago

📌

livington.bsky.social•4 hours ago

Helpful thread thank you

simonpease.bsky.social•6 hours ago

Thank you for this detailed, thoughtful and persuasive thread. As so often, the issue is complex, and our politicians only respond to the immediate pressure from political bad actors and the media, rather than having the courage to explain and act on the real problems.

elenaadaal.bsky.social•6 hours ago

So the sector does not pay enough, working conditions are not good, and skilled people are required. Not enough are available in UK.

It is thus strange to expect that there enough skilled people outside of UK, that want to go to UK - at high (visa) and personal costs - to work for low pay.

(1/2)

elenaadaal.bsky.social•6 hours ago

..the solution to this is Free Movement with EU.

Otherwise, you end up inevitably with Quatar-like exploitation of workers that are needed in their own country.

And surely the issue is low pay and internal sector problems, but nobody wants to pay for that.

(2/2)

humzas-brain.bsky.social•5 hours ago

Excellent thread and I could not agree more. The entire care system needs to be rethought and regulated properly.

thequietman1888.bsky.social•3 hours ago

I have worked in the care sector and a bog factor is the hours the amount of people who have turned down the job. Because they don't want to work before 9am they dont want to work after 7pm and they don't want to work weekends. The so called "immigrants" will work these hours.

juliads65.bsky.social•6 hours ago

@keirstarmer.bsky.social you need to change your comms and beef up approach to care reform and fast. You’re losing the good will of many of us- history will not be kind.

harmoniouslvn.bsky.social•1 day ago

📌

hotchkiss13.bsky.social•6 hours ago

And how will Labour get people into care work which is often physically and mentally demanding, it’s not low skill, it’s often low paid, it requires shift work, and it needs motivated volunteers not reluctant conscripts.

janetmsageobserver.bsky.social•5 hours ago

It needs a different career structure, as it really can't easily be a job for life.

hotchkiss13.bsky.social•5 hours ago

Agreed. We also need to get away from the low pay low skill view of care. And some of what happens in care extracts profit first and delivers care as an afterthought.

alang64.bsky.social•6 hours ago

I had a comment from a care worker recently saying they would probably be better off stacking shelves at Aldi. She works for a good company as well.

richarddubourg.bsky.social•5 hours ago

I worked in the Home Office 03-11, and similar discussions were had then. I remember specifically curry house chefs. "Why do you need so many visas every year? What happened to last year's chefs?" The answer, of course, was that curry houses paid crap and would regularly lose staff to better jobs.

richarddubourg.bsky.social•5 hours ago

So there is some truth to the idea that some sectors might get used to being supported by a regular inflow of cheaper workers, and a period of pain might usefully force them to professionalise their operations. Unfortunately, a bit of pain in the curry house sector might be acceptable. Care homes?

lukepiper.bsky.social•5 hours ago

There's something schizophrenic and broken about one part of the government using a stick to hit itself to make it change something it hasn't got a plan to pay for.

richarddubourg.bsky.social•4 hours ago

'Twas ever thus, I'm afraid.

grumpycook.bsky.social•5 hours ago

Good thread and explains a lot and shows the communication yesterday was piss poor.

rob-roy-mcsporran.bsky.social•4 hours ago

Fuck me, there's an adult in the room.

deborahstort.bsky.social•5 hours ago

📌

stiggylou.bsky.social•1 day ago

When since 2020 has there been a surge? The visa was only introduced in 2020.

nigelburns.bsky.social•5 hours ago

From p10 of the White Paper;

"The expansion of the Health & Care visa route in February 2022 to include the social care workforce also triggered a sharp increase in the number of people arriving via this route to work in below degree-level jobs, from 37,000 in 2022 to 108,000 in 2023."

clockworkshaun.bsky.social•1 day ago

The fragmentation of the care market has lead to inefficiencies impacting the workforce. Care visas led to an influx of migrants who work full-time + for minimal wages to start a life in the UK. Meanwhile there is a resident workforce 'trapped' in the 16 hour benefits system. It's complicated.

judithfairbairn.bsky.social•1 day ago

Perfect analysis of the problem.

matthewgreener.bsky.social•18 hours ago

This is good. My parents rely on home care. The carers are all from overseas & excellent. All educated to A level many with degrees. The cost is high their pay is low & resources not too many. Most of the fee goes to the care company for what administration can't be that costly. 1

janetmsageobserver.bsky.social•5 hours ago

This is the point. It's not really a job for life, but a contribution for a few years, which needs to be valued. Paying franchise fees to the USA and disguising property development as care homes are just some of the add ons that private business extracts from the care system.

matthewgreener.bsky.social•18 hours ago

2 since the last visa regs change, they are finding it almost impossible to recruit & therefore have to turn work away. They also struggle to cover the work they already have. The service is excellent & improved dad's quality of life. They may end up being swallowed by a bigger concern

hesparis.bsky.social•5 hours ago

📌

mayziey.bsky.social•6 hours ago

📌

neiljl.bsky.social•1 day ago

Many thanks for this informed and informative thread

rob9194.bsky.social•2 days ago

Because they didn't stay in care

lukepiper.bsky.social•2 days ago

IMO several key factors at play:

1. Sector design
2. Revenue and pay
3. Bad actors
4. Immigration policy

lukepiper.bsky.social•2 days ago

1. The care sector is fragmented, massively complicated and the lower paid work is often paid per hour. The ascendency of domiciliary care and demand means things get more complex. The work itself is hard, demanding and requires skill.

mcopsey.bsky.social•6 hours ago

Not according to Chris Philp only takes a couple of weeks training he thinks

lukepiper.bsky.social•2 days ago

2. The income for the sector is too low and the pay for staff equally so. Combined with pay per hour, the conditions in 1, you can see why there is a shortage and people not signing up.

bid47.bsky.social•4 hours ago

Your other points are well made, but "income for the sector is low"!? It absorbs half of most local authority budgets (c.£500M in Herts alone) and huge amounts of private funding too.

lukepiper.bsky.social•2 days ago

3. The sector IMO is poorly regulated. Bad actors are prominent and exploit people. I've spoken to many many people over the past 12 months, the issue is real & significant. The government is supporting tens of thousands of people who've been displaced/exploited/ripped off into new jobs

lukepiper.bsky.social•2 days ago

4. Unfortunately, the skilled worker visa is not a good fit for the above. It works on the premise of guaranteed hours and good actors/compliance. Neither of those things are prominent in the care sector. The MAC warned the government of this before changes and we are where we are.

lukepiper.bsky.social•2 days ago

Thousands of people wanting to work in care are stuck in the UK. Lots of jobs that won't fit their visa type. A big additional problem is the need for people to drive - most people on the health and care visa don't have licences and need to learn/pass test que driving test shortage.

girasoles-lady.bsky.social•6 hours ago

📌

girasoles-lady.bsky.social•6 hours ago

📌

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