Possibility of 115,000 fewer care workers after Brexit

New analysis of official figures by the Global Future think tank has warned that ending freedom of movement after Brexit could result in 115,000 fewer adult social care workers by 2026.

The 100,000 carers missing report finds that approximately 222,000 social are staff in England are from overseas, representing 17 per cent of the workforce, meaning that ending freedom of movement could lead to 115,000 fewer social care staff by 2026, compared to the number expected if freedom of movement is retained.

Furthermore, with there currently being one care worker for every 3.4 people aged over 75, the think tank claims that to keep this ratio the same as the population ages, our care sector will need to employ an additional 380,000 staff by 2026. However, the sector is currently adding just 18,000 British workers a year, with the number of non-EU care staff, who are subject to strict immigration controls, also falling over the last five years.

The sector is already in the midst of a staffing crisis, with around 90,000 unfilled vacancies, with a vacancy rate of 6.6 per cent compared to the labour market average of 2.5 per cent. Industry experts warn that without migrant workers ‘we would struggle to provide care at all’.

Peter Starkings, the director of Global Future, said: “Ending free movement after Brexit would cause a social care workforce crisis. Social care is already overstretched, and cutting the number of care staff by 100,000 would have a direct impact on the quality of life of elderly and disabled people.

“Low-skilled workers from the EU are an easy target for politicians, but we rely on them to do vital jobs supporting our elderly and disabled loved ones in care homes and in the community. Without them our social care system would quite simply be unable to function. New health and social care secretary Matt Hancock must make it a priority to protect the adult social care sector – and our elderly and disabled citizens who need care – by fighting and winning a battle within government to allow European workers to continue to work as carers.”