UK Home Secretary Signals U-Turn on Care Worker Settlement Rules as Cabinet Pressure Mounts
Updated: 11 hours ago
LONDON, September 29, 2026 — Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has signalled she could water down her controversial plans to force overseas care workers to wait up to 15 years for permanent residence, after conceding that "some have said elements of these reforms are not fair".
In a speech to the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, Mahmood told delegates the government would "come to a position that balances fairness for those who came here legally and fairness to British citizens across this country" .
The Proposed Changes
Under Mahmood's plans, the standard qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) would double from five to 10 years for most migrants. But social care workers who arrived on health and care visas would face a 15-year wait — the longest of any work-based route .
The reforms would apply retrospectively, meaning migrants already in the UK who have not yet received ILR would be subject to the new rules. The Home Office has indicated immigration rules would begin changing from April 2026 .
Migrant Category | Proposed Qualifying Period |
Care workers (health and social care visa) | 15 years |
Most other work visa holders | 10 years (baseline) |
Higher-skilled workers earning over £50,270 | 5 years |
Public sector healthcare and teaching roles | 5 years |
Family visa holders (British citizen sponsor) | 5 years |
Hong Kong BNO visa holders | 5 years |
Refugees | 20 years |
Illegal entrants | Up to 30 years |
The Backlash
The plans have provoked fierce opposition from within Labour's own ranks, trade unions, and local councils.
Angela Rayner's Intervention
Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner — a former carer herself — has been the most prominent critic. She told the BBC it would be "un-British" to make care staff already in the UK wait up to 15 years, arguing that controlling borders was "completely different" to taking "retrospective action on people who have made a life here" .
Speaking at UNISON's Fair Visa Campaign rally in Parliament Square in June 2026, Rayner stated: "Care workers supported us during the most challenging times of the pandemic. We shouldn't change the rules midway — taking retroactive measures against those who pay taxes, contribute, and are integral to our society by caring for our most vulnerable. It's unjust and un-British to act this way.".
UNISON's Campaign
UNISON, the UK's largest care sector union, has been running a Fair Visa Campaign demanding:
Retention of the five-year route to settlement
A sector-wide visa program enabling care workers to switch between employers
A fair pay agreement for social care workers
UNISON General Secretary Andrea Egan stated: "We regularly hear from migrant workers who are stuck in a system that links their visa to one employer, making them susceptible to exploitation and fearful of speaking up. These individuals care for our communities, but many are deprived of the security and dignity they deserve." .
Parliamentary Opposition
100 Labour MPs signed a letter opposing the retrospective changes, and MPs have threatened to force a symbolic parliamentary vote to expose party divisions. Tony Vaughan MP, who led the letter, said transitional arrangements would only be a "sticking plaster on a scheme that was flawed from the beginning" .
Council Opposition
East Dunbartonshire Council passed a motion condemning the proposals "in the strongest possible terms", warning they would apply retrospectively to individuals and families already on a visa route to settlement, including British Nationals Overseas and spouses of UK citizens .
The Economic Case Under Scrutiny
Mahmood has justified the reforms by citing a £10 billion lifetime welfare cost from the 196,000 migrants on health and social care visas and their dependents who arrived during the post-Brexit immigration spike .
But a briefing note from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) — obtained by POLITICO — argues the Home Office's calculations are flawed. The IPPR contends that:
Dependents make net positive financial contributions until they stop working, claim the state pension, and start incurring higher health costs
Delaying settlement traps care workers in lower-paid work for longer, reducing their tax contributions
If the policy encourages care workers to leave the UK, it could add £11 billion to £22 billion in costs, making it harder for the Treasury to meet its fiscal targets
The Human Cost
The Guardian has reported on the human consequences of the prevailing uncertainty. Care workers nearing the current five-year target expressed devastation over the proposed changes.
Josephine, a care worker from Zimbabwe who arrived in 2022, shared that she had to live in a wooden shed and use a bucket as a toilet. Now, with 10 months left until ILR, she dreads the possibility of waiting another five years. "I keep wondering if I've made a huge mistake, but I've put in so much effort. I really love my job.".
UNISON's written submission to Parliament highlighted widespread exploitation: deductions from wages, demands to repay thousands when changing jobs, 80-hour workweeks, and threats of deportation used to ensure compliance. "The deep concern about the prolonged path to settlement arises because employers have more control over migrant care workers, as their work visa is tied to their job status. The proposed ten-year extension will further trap these workers with exploitative employers.".
What Happens Next
The Home Office received over 200,000 responses to its consultation on the reforms, which closed in February 2026. Downing Street sources have highlighted the possibility of "transitional arrangements" that could reduce the 10-year wait for some existing migrants .
Mahmood's address at the conference suggests she is now open to compromise. Nonetheless, the Home Office maintains its official position that "the privilege of permanent residency should be earned, not given automatically", and asserts that the government must be "transparent about the magnitude and effects of hundreds of thousands of low-skilled migrants securing settlement rights".
For care workers currently in the UK, uncertainty continues.
Quick Reference Summary
Aspect | Details |
Standard ILR Qualifying Period | 5 years (current) → 10 years (proposed) |
Care Worker Qualifying Period | 5 years (current) → 15 years (proposed) |
Retrospective Application | Proposed to apply to all migrants without ILR |
Home Office Consultation | Closed February 2026; 200,000+ responses |
Parliamentary Opposition | 100 Labour MPs signed letter; symbolic vote threatened |
Union Campaign | UNISON Fair Visa Campaign |
Economic Critique | IPPR argues policy may cost £11-22 billion |
Next Steps | Government considering transitional arrangements |
Read Also
Official Resources
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