Age UK response to care workers not being eligible for the ‘Health and Care Visa’ as part of its Skilled Worker route

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK said:

“It’s really disappointing that the Government’s Health and Care Visa turns out to be a Care Visa in name only. Care will scarcely benefit at all since the vast majority of care workforce roles are ineligible for the Visa. What a missed opportunity.

“With well in excess of 100,000 vacancies the care workforce needs all the help it can get, and even if the ultimate solution is to greatly improve pay and conditions any process of refinancing and reform is bound to take time. In the meantime, say the next 3 to 5 years, the sensible thing to do is to keep the door open to EU based care workers.

“In the absence of this the mountain that care providers have to climb in order to be properly staffed up will be even steeper than it is now and it will be harder for them to provide good quality care, especially in London and other cities where EU based staff are clustered.

“It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that the best interests of older people in need of care have been sacrificed on the altar of other political priorities. We urge the Government to think again.”