‘One hell to another’: Thousands of care workers risk deportation after employers breach rules
Summary
Date Reported: 11 May 2024
Location: United Kingdom
Companies
24/7 Flex Care - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: 2
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - India , Health and social care , Men , Documented migrants ) , Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - India , Health and social care , Women , Documented migrants )Issues
Contract Substitution , Recruitment Fees , Protection from arbitrary arrest, detention or exile , Intimidation , Access to Non-Judicial Remedy , Access to Justice & Legal ProtectionResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
Action taken: Flex Care did not respond to The Bureau of Investigative Journalism’s request for comment.
Source type: News outlet
Summary
Date Reported: 11 May 2024
Location: United Kingdom
Companies
S&K Care 24 - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: 1
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( 1 - Nigeria , Health and social care , Women , Documented migrants )Issues
Contract Substitution , Protection from arbitrary arrest, detention or exileResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Kay Mayo, registered manager of S&K Care 24, admitted to TBIJ that no care worker sponsored by her company had been given any work because it had not managed to secure care provision contracts with local authorities. As a result of this, and because the company was acting as a recruitment agency, the Home Office subsequently revoked its sponsor licence, she said. She denied the office had been empty, and said she had been asked by the landlord to leave.
Source type: News outlet
… when they arrived in the UK, they say they were given no accommodation, no money for their flights and no work. The only money either of them ever received from 24/7 Flex Care was £500, paid to Ismail after he went to the offices to complain…
… they both received letters from the Home Office saying the company had lost its licence to sponsor overseas care workers – and as a result they have until mid-June to secure a new visa or else return to India….
Data obtained via freedom of information requests shows that 122 companies had their licences revoked in 2022 and 2023. This resulted in nearly 3,000 care workers having their sponsorship cancelled, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) and the Observer can reveal…
An employer’s licence is revoked because the company has broken the rules. But consequences fall on the workers…
… Katherine was not given the work she had been promised by the company sponsoring her, S&K Care 24….
Kay Mayo, registered manager of S&K Care 24, admitted to TBIJ that no care worker sponsored by her company had been given any work because it had not managed to secure care provision contracts with local authorities.
24/7 Flex Care did not respond to several requests for comment…