UK government trims settlement rules after Labour forces retreat on social care workers
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The Home Office has watered down its immigration settlement plans, cutting waiting times for some social care workers while stubbornly keeping the retroactive clause that Labour MPs condemned.
The Home Office has announced a revision to its settlement system that shortens the residency requirement for social care workers who arrived before May 2025 and earn at least £25,000 a year, allowing them to qualify for settlement after five years. The change comes after fierce criticism from Labour MPs, including housing secretary Angela Rayner, who branded the original plan "un-British" and accused the government of moving "the goalposts".
Labour figures such as Shabana Mahmood and Rachael Maskell raised serious concerns about the retrospective nature of the proposals, yet the government opted to keep that part of the policy untouched. A source at Number 10 praised Mahmood’s performance in the Commons, saying she had "found the right balance".
The revised rules are expected to affect around 500,000 social care workers, fewer than the 800,000 who would have been impacted under the initial plan. Critics say the faster route to settlement could cost the UK up to £10 billion, according to a claim previously made by the home secretary, underscoring how the government has managed to preserve the most controversial element while offering only a partial concession.