Coupled with recent changes to employer National Insurance contributions, plans to reduce health and social care visas to the UK, and end the Social Care Worker Visa route to overseas recruitment for new applicants from 22 July 2025, risks many care workers going home - leaving providers 'on a cliff edge'.
Dear Home Secretary/Minister for Care
Re: Changes in Immigration Rules – July 2025
I am writing to you with grave concern for the new immigration bill plans to reduce health and social care visas to the United Kingdom and in particular closing the Social Care Worker Visa route to overseas recruitment for new applicants from 22 July 2025.
I am aware there was no formal consultation with the social care sector and there was notice of transitional arrangements until 2028. However, on 1 July 2025 the Home Office announced on their website that the basic social care visa would be abolished on 22 July 2025. Kent County Council and care providers were not and still have not been formally notified of this change.
“There are many areas that this could impact including the Council’s own services and our provider network with which the Council commission”
There are many areas that this could impact including the Council’s own services and our provider network with which the Council commission.
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. Kent Integrated Care Alliance (KICA) has advised us that the Government has ringfenced 2 million for the south east so providers could pick up these displaced people and get them into work. They would receive 5k each, however in 3 years’ time or when the visa expires, they are currently expected to pay the care worker 41k a year. This is 10k more than a band 5 Nurse in the NHS.
Paired with the changes announced in the Autumn Budget in 2024 that resulted in changes to employer National Insurance contributions from April 2025, 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.
This is obviously a national issue, and it is too early to describe the long-term impact on the Council and care providers. We will liaise with the Kent Integrated Care Alliance to support the market through any challenges and difficulties that may emerge due to these changes. 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.
Yours sincerely
Linden Kemkaran
Leader of Kent County Council
Diane Morton RMN
Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care & Public Health
