The gendered crisis of care in the UK through the lens of immigration policy impacts on migrant workers

The social care sector in the United Kingdom is grappling with a severe crisis due to successive governments’ failure to adequately fund and plan for rising care needs. This crisis has profound and wide-ranging implications, disproportionately affecting women, who constitute the majority of both the care workforce and the population in need of care services. Immigration policies play a pivotal role in shaping the dynamics of the social care sector, with migrants comprising a significant 16% of the workforce. These policies are inextricably intertwined with the broader global care crisis, exacerbating existing challenges and inequalities that disproportionately impact women across borders. Moreover, the UK’s “hostile environment” measures aimed at irregular migrants have created additional vulnerabilities and barriers for migrant women, including those with legal status working in the care sector.