Reform council leader pleads for government to soften new visa regime for care workers - Welcome to the real world

The Reform UK leader of Kent County Council has written to the home secretary expressing "grave concerns" about government proposals to reduce health and social care visas. 

In the letter, which was also signed by the council's cabinet member for social care Diane Morton, she said:

“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 has advised us that the Government has ringfenced £2m for the south east so providers could pick up these displaced people and get them into work. 

“They would receive £5,000 each, however in three years’ time or when the visa expires, they are currently expected to pay the care worker £41,000 a year. This is £10,000 more than a band five nurse in the NHS.”

It would be easy to laugh or call her a hypocrite, but let's welcome a Reform politician being prepared to recognise reality. Too many of them believe that outside consultants or their own parties DOGE are coming to save them. They're not.

Kent Online quotes the Liberal Democrat group leader on the council supporting her letter:

“KCC has rightly acknowledged the importance of overseas workers to the care sector. 

“Under the plans in the government’s immigration white paper, care providers will be able to apply until 2028 to extend their workers’ visas, but will have to pay the Home Office’s Immigration Skills Charge, which the Government is raising to £1,320 for each worker per year of their visa.

“Imposing crippling Home Office fees on top of the Government’s misguided jobs tax (the national insurance increase) will just make the crisis even worse, pushing many care homes to the brink and leaving our loved ones in the lurch.

“People who have moved to the UK to look after our elderly and disabled people are doing tough jobs and helping to keep our NHS on its feet. They should be thanked for their contribution, not demonised.”

I foresee a split opening in Reform between the leadership, which will go on talking bollocks and making impossible promises, and those of their councillors who are trying to do the job conscientiously.