Coverage Care Services has expressed serious concern over the UK government’s recent decision to tighten visa rules for lower-skilled workers, warning that the move could have a devastating impact on the social care sector.
Samantha Woosnam, HR Director at Coverage Care, described the new restrictions as a source of “dismay” and “major frustration” for care providers already struggling to recruit and retain staff.
“This policy shift has left us with significant uncertainty about how we will continue to recruit and retain the staff we need to care for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities,” said Woosnam.
The government’s new immigration policy includes stricter rules on care workers bringing dependents and raises the salary threshold for visa eligibility. These changes are expected to significantly reduce the number of overseas care workers entering the UK.
Coverage Care, which operates 12 care homes across Shropshire, has relied on international recruitment to fill essential roles - particularly for night shifts and in rural areas where domestic recruitment has proven difficult.
“We’ve worked hard to support overseas staff in settling into our communities,” Woosnam added. “Now, we’re being forced to rethink our entire workforce strategy with very few viable alternatives.”
The organisation has also seen a decline in interest from younger UK workers entering the care profession, compounding the recruitment challenge.
“We’re facing a perfect storm: an ageing population, a shrinking domestic workforce, and now, a government policy that removes one of the few lifelines we had,” Woosnam said.
Coverage Care is urging policymakers to engage with care providers and reconsider the impact of these immigration changes.
“We need a workforce strategy that reflects the reality on the ground—not one that leaves care providers scrambling to fill essential roles with fewer and fewer options,” she concluded.
