Campaign To Tackle Illegal Working In The Care Sector Begins

Last week, the Home Office launched Operation Magnify, a UK-wide enforcement and compliance initiative to prevent illegal working in the care sector.

During the week long campaign which began on 8 November, immigration enforcement officers carried out educational visits, alongside intelligence-led enforcement activity, to agencies and providers in the sector to raise awareness of the issue.

Immigration enforcement teams understand that continuity of care for patients is paramount and have been working closely with local authorities, care agencies, care providers and other government departments, to maintain patient safety and ensure contingency cover is in place during the operation.

Illegal working presents a significant safeguarding risk to staff and most importantly, to recipients of care, who are often vulnerable members of society. If an employer has not completed ‘right to work’ checks on their workforce, or if an employee has used forged documents to gain employment, their identity, criminal history and qualifications cannot be verified.

Help is available

To help tackle this problem, the Home Office is reminding care providers of the guidance available to undertake right to work checks, to ensure every job applicant has the right to work in the UK.

You can help to raise awareness of this issue within your sector by sharing our short animated video, 3 step check poster and information slide pack (attached) with your colleagues.

The 3 step check poster is available on GOV.UK

If you or your colleagues have any concerns about checking your job applicants’ right to work in the UK, you can contact the dedicated support line on 0300 123 4699.

If you are considering producing any specific right to work articles in either internal or external publications please do contact the Strategic Communications team via IEstratcomms@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk