Foreign social care workers reporting being caught in exploitative contracts have increased sixfold in the last three years, according to the most recent evidence of widespread mistreatment of foreigners in the British care system.
According to data from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), 134 care workers contacted the organisation in 2023–24, alleging that their employers were demanding substantial sums of money from them to cover “hiring costs,” including visa processing, if they left their jobs. This figure increased from 22 similar complaints just three years ago.
The spike in complaints about repayment provisions, which in one case totalled £10,000, demonstrates how a recent surge in international carer recruitment has enabled unscrupulous employers to exploit vulnerable workers.
Nicola Ranger, the RCN general secretary, stated, “Rogue employers appear to be forcing migrants to pay thousands of pounds just to leave jobs and threatening them with deportation.” Those who travel to the UK to care for the disadvantaged deserve far better than this exploitation.
“Unfortunately, we know that the spike in exploitation instances reported to the RCN is just the tip of the iceberg. Migrant workers are constantly bullied and scared of speaking up, even having their passports confiscated. They are also significantly less likely to be members of trade unions.”
The epidemic, combined with post-Brexit immigration limits, caused a significant staffing problem in Britain’s social care industry, which policymakers in the previous government addressed by making it much simpler to hire care workers from outside. According to Skills for Care data, the number of international professionals recruited for adult social care increased from 10,000 to 94,000 between 2020–21 and 2023–24.
However, the new system, which permitted care providers to hire workers rapidly if they reached specific salary levels, has resulted in widespread allegations of mistreatment.
Earlier this year, it was reported that foreign workers at 11 British agencies accused their employers of exploitation. All of these individuals had paid “visa processing costs” of up to £20,000, typically through middlemen in India, for guaranteed work in the UK that did not materialise.
Following the discoveries, Yvette Cooper, then the shadow home secretary, promised to conduct an investigation into the matter if Labour won the election.
Some employees are pursuing retribution through the legal system. A British employment judge recently found that a worker who did not receive their contracted hours could be eligible for compensation worth over £10,000.
The RCN has been collecting incidents of individuals attempting to leave their positions only to be told by their employers that they owe thousands of pounds in repayments, frequently for what the business refers to as “hiring costs.”. The charity has observed an increase in such occurrences in recent years, with 17 calls from members in May alone.
In one situation, a worker complained that they had been subjected to extreme bullying and harassment. When they attempted to leave their position, they were told they would have to pay £10,000, despite the fact that no such amount was included in their contract.
Another care worker informed the RCN that they had been assaulted and racially abused at work, forcing them to leave their position. After that, they were told they owed more than £3,000 in visa fees.
A third had their position terminated immediately after informing their employer that they had tested positive for COVID, and they were then charged a high repayment cost despite having no job or income.
Lawyers have claimed that some activities in the British care business resemble trafficking and contemporary slavery, with punitive repayment terms frequent.
The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority reported receiving 123 reports of modern slavery and human trafficking in the care sector in 2023, accounting for more than half of all reports of forced labour.
The RCN has renewed its appeal for a government investigation into work practices in the area.
Ranger stated, “The exploitation that is allowed to develop is fundamentally inhumane and undermines the entire social care sector. The ministers were correct in committing to an investigation during the election campaign, and it must now be completed as soon as possible. Every day, lives are lost, and this must continue. We need to take action to protect our migrant care workers and increase industry standards.
A government spokeswoman stated, “There has been an unacceptable increase in the documented abuse and exploitation of care workers in the adult social care sector.”
“The sponsorship system, which holds providers to the highest standards, has highlighted these unethical practices, and urgent work is taking place across the sector to address this.”