Media Releases
02 Nov 2026

Homecare Association welcomes five year protection but warns against penalising victims of exploitation

The Homecare Association welcomes the Home Secretary’s decision to preserve a five-year route to settlement for eligible care workers who joined the route before the May 2025 Immigration White Paper. However, it warns that the earnings condition and requirement for some workers to complete a further five-year visa could penalise people failed by their sponsors.

The Association has campaigned to retain the five-year route, submitting evidence on workforce retention, exploitation and the consequences for older and disabled people who need care.

Dr Jane Townson OBE, Chief Executive of the Homecare Association, said:

“We welcome the government’s recognition of care workers’ contribution and its decision to protect the five-year route for many who answered Britain’s call. This will bring considerable relief to workers, their families and the people they support.

“Our members have consistently warned that extending settlement would drive experienced staff away. Retaining them protects trusted relationships and helps people continue living safely at home.

“But this is not a blanket exemption, and the detail matters. The Home Secretary has linked protection to annual earnings of £25,000 and limited transitional arrangements to those who joined before the May 2025 White Paper.

“Some workers have lost earnings because their sponsor provided too few hours, failed to pay them or lost its licence. That does not mean they were unwilling to contribute. Describing a further five-year visa as a second chance risks blaming people for circumstances beyond their control.

“We welcome more time to find a legitimate employer and help to move away from rogue sponsors. But workers who have already spent years here must have that time recognised. Victims of exploitation should not have to start their journey to settlement again.

“Care workers’ contribution cannot be measured by salary alone. Their skilled work supports families and the NHS every day. Government cannot fairly constrain pay through council and NHS purchasing decisions, then penalise workers for low earnings.

“We need clear safeguards for disrupted earnings, partners and children, and an explanation of how the wider settlement conditions will apply. Those who joined after the May 2025 cut-off also deserve fair treatment.

“Fair settlement must go alongside fair commissioning. Public contracts must fund decent pay and reliable hours. The government must honour its commitment that workers will not be punished for their employers’ failings.”

Notes to editors

The Homecare Association is the UK’s leading membership body for homecare providers. Its mission is to ensure society values and invests in homecare so we can all live well at home and flourish within our communities.

The Association submitted its response and supplementary evidence to the Earned Settlement consultation on 12 February 2026. It called for retention of the five-year route and robust transitional protection for workers already in the UK.

Our January 2026 survey covered 108 homecare providers employing around 15,000 care workers. Among respondents, 28% reported sponsored staff had already left because of settlement uncertainty; 50% reported staff saying they would leave if the qualifying period increased; and 48% expected to hand back care packages or reduce provision.

These findings describe respondents’ reported experiences and expectations. They are not nationally representative estimates or forecasts of the number of workers who will leave.

By settlement we mean Indefinite Leave to Remain. Eligibility after a qualifying period is subject to the applicable Immigration Rules and other requirements; it is not an automatic grant of settlement.

Campaign background

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