Rayner Breaks with Government Over Migrant Care Worker Settlement Plans

Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has publicly distanced herself from the Labour government’s proposed immigration reforms, warning that retrospective changes to settlement rules for overseas care workers already living and working in the United Kingdom would be deeply unfair and contrary to British values.

Speaking at a rally organised by the public sector union Unison, Rayner argued that care workers who had followed the rules, paid their taxes and built their lives in this country should not face the prospect of having the terms of their settlement altered mid-way through their residency.

She described any such retrospective action as “un-British”, drawing a clear distinction between controlling future immigration at the border — which she said she supported — and changing the rules for people already legally resident in the UK.

Her remarks represent a notable divergence from the position of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who has defended the government’s proposed overhaul of the immigration system. Under the plans currently under consultation, the qualifying period for settlement — formally known as indefinite leave to remain, which grants the right to live, work, study and access benefits in the UK — would be extended for most migrants from five to ten years.

Workers who arrived on health and social care visas, however, could face a qualifying period of fifteen years, while those who had claimed benefits for more than twelve months would be subject to a twenty-year wait.

Ms Mahmood has justified the proposals by pointing to what she described as an unprecedented scale of migration in recent years, arguing the government has an obligation to respond to public concern. A government spokesperson confirmed the administration’s position, stating that the route to settlement would double from five to ten years, and that the privilege of permanent residency should be earned rather than considered automatic.

However, dozens of Labour MPs have reportedly opposed the retrospective elements of the plans, with critics arguing the approach amounts to moving the goalposts for workers who arrived in good faith under existing rules.

For residential and nursing care providers, the debate carries immediate and practical significance. The social care sector remains heavily reliant on overseas workers, many of whom were recruited during and after the pandemic to address severe staffing shortages. Any significant extension of the settlement qualifying period could affect the willingness of skilled care workers to remain in the UK long-term, with potential consequences for workforce stability and the quality of care delivered to residents.

Ms Rayner acknowledged the contribution of care workers directly, noting that the sector had supported the country through the most challenging period of the pandemic. She called on the government to go further in its support for the profession, including raising wages for care workers and removing the current requirement that ties overseas workers’ visas to specific employers — a restriction she argued leaves individuals vulnerable to exploitation.
The former Deputy Prime Minister said she would continue to press for care workers and those who depend upon their services to be treated with dignity and respect.