07 Feb Essex home care founder calls for support with national recruitment after government announcement
Following a government announcement on plans to increase sponsorship fees for overseas social care staff by 120%, Lausa Biragi, Founder of You & I Care, is calling for urgent clarity on how the Government plans to encourage British nationals to enter the care sector. This follows Lausa’s call in January for urgent action to support the care sector which she fears is on the brink of collapse.
Lausa Biragi has worked in the adult care system in the UK for nearly two decades. Since founding You & I Care, she has been committed to providing equitable and high-quality care, prioritising recruitment from within the UK to build a workforce that is both culturally aligned and sustainable for the sector.
“We understand the financial burden of international recruitment and why the Government may see a need to increase sponsorship fees. However, these measures do not address the core issue: the urgent need to make care work a viable and attractive career path for British nationals. Without a comprehensive national recruitment strategy, smaller care businesses will struggle to fill vacancies, and the sector risks becoming dominated by only the largest providers – reducing choice and flexibility for those in need of care.
Over the past 8 months, You & I Care has exclusively recruited staff from within the UK, recognising the benefits this brings both culturally and operationally. We have welcomed international staff in the past as a contingency to support workforce shortages, but our focus has always been on engaging UK-based talent. Despite our best efforts, the majority of applicants continue to come from overseas. This highlights the critical need for government intervention to boost national recruitment efforts.
We are once again calling on the Government to introduce a National Insurance break for care workers, similar to what is in place for NHS staff. This would be a meaningful incentive to attract more British nationals into the sector and alleviate financial pressures on providers.
We urge the government to take immediate action to support the national recruitment drive. If smaller care providers are to be restricted from hiring internationally due to cost barriers, they must be given the tools to recruit and retain a strong UK-based workforce. The future of social care depends on it.”
