The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Home Office on issues relating to immigration and the adult social care sector, including the social care workforce.

The Government ran a public consultation on whether the existing pathway for settlement should be increased to 15 years for those admitted to the United Kingdom to work in occupations skilled below Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 6, under the Skilled Worker and Health and Care routes. This includes care workers and senior care workers.

The consultation, which ran for 12 weeks, opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026. The Home Office is now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.

Following analysis of the consultation responses, the necessary impact assessments will be undertaken.

The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Home Office on issues relating to immigration and the adult social care sector, including the social care workforce.

The Government ran a public consultation on whether the existing pathway for settlement should be increased to 15 years for those admitted to the United Kingdom to work in occupations skilled below Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 6, under the Skilled Worker and Health and Care routes. This includes care workers and senior care workers.

The consultation, which ran for 12 weeks, opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026. The Home Office is now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.

Following analysis of the consultation responses, the necessary impact assessments will be undertaken.

The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Home Office on issues relating to immigration and the adult social care sector, including the social care workforce.

The Government ran a public consultation on whether the existing pathway for settlement should be increased to 15 years for those admitted to the United Kingdom to work in occupations skilled below Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 6, under the Skilled Worker and Health and Care routes. This includes care workers and senior care workers.

The consultation, which ran for 12 weeks, opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 12 February 2026. The Home Office is now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model.

Following analysis of the consultation responses, the necessary impact assessments will be undertaken.

The earned settlement public consultation ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment which we will publish as well as the Government’s response in due course.

The earned settlement public consultation ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment which we will publish as well as the Government’s response in due course.

The earned settlement public consultation ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026. We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received. This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.

Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly. As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment which we will publish as well as the Government’s response in due course.

The Spring 2025 Impact Assessment (published here: Impact assessments covering migration policy - GOV.UK) provides the Department’s estimates on the volumes of impacted care and senior care workers resulting from the Immigration White Paper proposals. Place-based impacts are estimated at a regional level in the impact assessment.

My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has regular discussions with my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Home Department on a range of subjects, including immigration policy.

The Government has published an Impact Assessment alongside the Spring 2025 Immigration Rules, which sets out the expected effects of the reforms on the Skilled Worker and Health and Care worker routes, including modelling of changes in overall visa volumes. The Impact Assessment is published on the GOV.UK website, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/impact-assessments-covering-migration-policy

The forthcoming 10-Year Health Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients when they need it. As part of that plan, we will outline strategies for improving retention, productivity, training, and reducing attrition, thereby enhancing conditions for all staff while gradually reducing reliance on international recruitment, without diminishing the value of their contributions.

For adult social care, it is also the Government’s policy to reduce reliance on international recruitment and improve domestic recruitment and retention. We recognise the scale of reform needed to make the adult social care attractive as a career and are determined to ensure that those who work in care are respected as professionals. We are introducing a new Fair Pay Agreement for Adult Social Care, implementing the first universal career structure for adult social care, and providing £12 million this year for staff to complete training and qualifications.

My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has regular discussions with my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Home Department on a range of subjects, including immigration policy.

The Government has published an Impact Assessment alongside the Spring 2025 Immigration Rules, which sets out the expected effects of the reforms on the Skilled Worker and Health and Care worker routes, including modelling of changes in overall visa volumes. The Impact Assessment is published on the GOV.UK website, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/impact-assessments-covering-migration-policy

The forthcoming 10-Year Health Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients when they need it. As part of that plan, we will outline strategies for improving retention, productivity, training, and reducing attrition, thereby enhancing conditions for all staff while gradually reducing reliance on international recruitment, without diminishing the value of their contributions.

For adult social care, it is also the Government’s policy to reduce reliance on international recruitment and improve domestic recruitment and retention. We recognise the scale of reform needed to make the adult social care attractive as a career and are determined to ensure that those who work in care are respected as professionals. We are introducing a new Fair Pay Agreement for Adult Social Care, implementing the first universal career structure for adult social care, and providing £12 million this year for staff to complete training and qualifications.

My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has regular discussions with my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Home Department on a range of subjects, including immigration policy.

The Government has published an Impact Assessment alongside the Spring 2025 Immigration Rules, which sets out the expected effects of the reforms on the Skilled Worker and Health and Care worker routes, including modelling of changes in overall visa volumes. The Impact Assessment is published on the GOV.UK website, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/impact-assessments-covering-migration-policy

The forthcoming 10-Year Health Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients when they need it. As part of that plan, we will outline strategies for improving retention, productivity, training, and reducing attrition, thereby enhancing conditions for all staff while gradually reducing reliance on international recruitment, without diminishing the value of their contributions.

For adult social care, it is also the Government’s policy to reduce reliance on international recruitment and improve domestic recruitment and retention. We recognise the scale of reform needed to make the adult social care attractive as a career and are determined to ensure that those who work in care are respected as professionals. We are introducing a new Fair Pay Agreement for Adult Social Care, implementing the first universal career structure for adult social care, and providing £12 million this year for staff to complete training and qualifications.

The Department does not hold information on the number of existing National Health Service workers, either nationally or in the Poole constituency, who could be affected by proposed changes to the rules on indefinite leave to remain.

The Department does not hold information on the number of existing National Health Service workers, either nationally or in the Poole constituency, who could be affected by proposed changes to the rules on indefinite leave to remain.

No assessment has been made as to the impact of the proposed changes to rules around indefinite leave to remain for health workers on the viability of the National Health Service 10 Year Workforce Plan.

The Government has launched a consultation on proposals to reform the current settlement rules in favour of an “earned settlement” model, that considers factors such as contribution, integration, and conduct. The consultation, which runs until 12 February 2026, seeks views on how these reforms should apply to different groups, including health and care workers. The consultation is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/earned-settlement

No assessment has been made as to the impact of the proposed changes to rules around indefinite leave to remain for health workers on the viability of the National Health Service 10 Year Workforce Plan.

The Government has launched a consultation on proposals to reform the current settlement rules in favour of an “earned settlement” model, that considers factors such as contribution, integration, and conduct. The consultation, which runs until 12 February 2026, seeks views on how these reforms should apply to different groups, including health and care workers. The consultation is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/earned-settlement

As set out in the Immigration White Paper, we are continuing to explore a range of policy options and their feasibility. Further details will follow in due course as necessary and appropriate.

The current measures to tackle sponsors who are found to be non-compliant can be found on Gov.uk in Part 3 of the guidance for sponsors:

Workers and Temporary Workers: guidance for sponsors part 3: sponsor duties and compliance (accessible) - GOV.UK

These range from reducing a sponsor’s allocation of certificates of sponsorship to revoking their licence and, if necessary, reporting them to the relevant authorities for further investigation.

As set out in the Immigration White Paper, we are continuing to explore a range of policy options and their feasibility. Further details will follow in due course as necessary and appropriate.

The current measures to tackle sponsors who are found to be non-compliant can be found on Gov.uk in Part 3 of the guidance for sponsors:

Workers and Temporary Workers: guidance for sponsors part 3: sponsor duties and compliance (accessible) - GOV.UK

These range from reducing a sponsor’s allocation of certificates of sponsorship to revoking their licence and, if necessary, reporting them to the relevant authorities for further investigation.

In 2025/26, up to £12.5 million has been made available through the adult social care international recruitment fund for 15 regional and sub-regional partnerships to prevent and respond to exploitative practices of internationally recruited care staff. This builds on the £16 million made available in 2024/25. Between July 2024 and April 2025, approximately 16,700 people contacted the regional partnerships for support. To date, approximately 940 of these individuals have been supported into new employment, according to self-reported data provided by the regional partnerships. This data has not been independently verified by the Department or UK Visas and Immigration.

We have commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce to undertake an independent evaluation of the 2024/25 international recruitment regional fund. We expect the final report of this evaluation to be published by King's College London in 2026.

According to the latest available data, between 1 April and 30 April 2025, 165 overseas care workers were successfully supported into new employment by the regional partnerships funded by the Department. This data is self-reported by the regional partnerships and has not been independently verified by the Department or UK Visas and Immigration. Overseas workers are also not obliged to report their employment outcomes. Data for May 2025 and beyond is not yet available.

Between July 2024 and April 2025, a total of 940 overseas care workers have been successfully supported into new employment. In addition, thousands more are being supported through the regional partnerships with CV writing, interview techniques, employability skills support, support to better understand workplace culture in the United Kingdom, and signposting.

The immigration White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System, was collectively agreed across Government, and is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821f334ced319d02c906103/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-web-optimised.pdf(opens in a new tab)

In the technical annex, published alongside the White Paper, the Home Office has estimated an annual reduction of approximately 7,000 main applicants as a result of ending overseas recruitment for care workers and senior care workers. This is based on their internal management information for entry visas granted covering the period March 2024 to February 2025. This estimate reflects that there was a drop in visa grants of more than 90% compared with the 12 months ending in March 2024, when more than 83,000 entry visas were granted to care workers and senior care workers. The analysis in the technical annex will be refined and included within the relevant impact assessments accompanying the rule changes, as appropriate. The technical annex is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821b49bdb6463b14cd8189c/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-technical-annex.pdf(opens in a new tab)

As set out in the immigration White Paper, visa extensions and in-country switching for those already in the country and with working rights will be permitted for a transition period until 2028. This will be kept under review.

DHSC are providing up to £12.5m to regional partnerships in 2025/26 to respond to unethical international recruitment practices in the adult social care sector. This includes supporting international recruits impacted by sponsor licence revocations to find alternative employment.

Care workers are essential to those who draw on care and support, helping them to maintain their quality of life, independence, and connection to the things that matter to them. In England, as per the Care Act 2014, it is the responsibility of local government to develop a market that delivers a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, that will be available to their communities. English local authorities have responsibility under the Care Act 2014 to meet social care needs, and statutory guidance directs them to ensure there is sufficient workforce in adult social care.

The Department continues to monitor adult social care workforce capacity, bringing together national data sets from Skills for Care’s monthly tracking data, the Capacity Tracker tool, and intelligence from key sector partners.