Sunday, March 08, 2020
Black holes and other government-generated phenomena
I have blogged a number of times, most recently here, on the absurd immigration system and the proposed changes to the rules that are going to cause huge problems for the UK economy.
Now the Independent has reinforced that view by reporting on claims by the GMB that new immigration rules being brought in by home secretary Priti Patel could result in a “black hole” of almost half a million care home workers:
Branding Ms Patel’s plan as “slapdash”, the GMB warned that cutting off the supply of recruits from overseas will worsen the crisis in the adult social care sector, which already has 110,000 unfilled vacancies.
Under the new immigration policy announced last month and due to come into force on 1 January 2021, there will be no exemption for the social care sector from a new £25,600 minimum earnings threshold designed to keep out low-skilled workers.
With average earnings of just £16,200 in privately run care facilities, the GMB said this would leave the sector effectively unable to recruit from abroad unless the government provides funding for a substantial increase in pay.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics found that 115,000 care workers currently in the UK are originally from EU countries while a further 237,000 were born elsewhere in the world. Coupled with the 110,000 vacancies, the union said that this could leave the sector short of 460,000 workers if Ms Patel’s policy is implemented.
The sector already has a vacancy rate of 8 per cent, compared with an average of 2.8 per cent across the economy as a whole.
Ms Patel has previously dismissed concerns about difficulties filling low-paid jobs following the introduction of her regime, arguing that replacements for foreign workers could be found among the UK’s 8.5 million “economically inactive” citizens, even though this includes students and people unable to work because of illness or caring responsibilities.
It seems that on this issue, as on many Brexit-related issues, the government is clinging to fantasy and hope as a solution to what appear to be intractable problems. This is a potential crisis of their own making, but it is the rest of us who will bear the consequences.
Now the Independent has reinforced that view by reporting on claims by the GMB that new immigration rules being brought in by home secretary Priti Patel could result in a “black hole” of almost half a million care home workers:
Branding Ms Patel’s plan as “slapdash”, the GMB warned that cutting off the supply of recruits from overseas will worsen the crisis in the adult social care sector, which already has 110,000 unfilled vacancies.
Under the new immigration policy announced last month and due to come into force on 1 January 2021, there will be no exemption for the social care sector from a new £25,600 minimum earnings threshold designed to keep out low-skilled workers.
With average earnings of just £16,200 in privately run care facilities, the GMB said this would leave the sector effectively unable to recruit from abroad unless the government provides funding for a substantial increase in pay.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics found that 115,000 care workers currently in the UK are originally from EU countries while a further 237,000 were born elsewhere in the world. Coupled with the 110,000 vacancies, the union said that this could leave the sector short of 460,000 workers if Ms Patel’s policy is implemented.
The sector already has a vacancy rate of 8 per cent, compared with an average of 2.8 per cent across the economy as a whole.
Ms Patel has previously dismissed concerns about difficulties filling low-paid jobs following the introduction of her regime, arguing that replacements for foreign workers could be found among the UK’s 8.5 million “economically inactive” citizens, even though this includes students and people unable to work because of illness or caring responsibilities.
It seems that on this issue, as on many Brexit-related issues, the government is clinging to fantasy and hope as a solution to what appear to be intractable problems. This is a potential crisis of their own making, but it is the rest of us who will bear the consequences.
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Black Hole.Not enough Care Workers.That financial barrier,is it deliberately to get Uk workers? That is, to get 'cheap labour from the UK to work a la Singapore style where individual families pay for a live in carer.
Equally has Patel ever changed a nappy? Mogg has not,he has a nanny. Are their thoughts re back to the days when the 'aristo's' were in charge. They therefore have little idea of care work.
Equally has Patel ever changed a nappy? Mogg has not,he has a nanny. Are their thoughts re back to the days when the 'aristo's' were in charge. They therefore have little idea of care work.
I have worked as a volunteer care worker,activity organiser 'taxi driver' to disabled youth,children., homes and in the old institutional hospitals,feeding bedding bathing a whole host of jobs.It also needs empathy calmness humour a whole host of mental abilities. It is poorly paid but you can get immense satisfaction from it. HOWEVER HAVE WE GOT THE PEOPLE TO FILL THESE PLACES WITH THE RIGHT SKILLS?IT IS A REWARDING DEMANDING JOB THAT NEEDS BETTER PAY TO ATTRACT THE CORRECT PEOPLE FROM THE UK AND ELSEWHERE..
There also are a lot of Agencies that supply the workers. They can cream off funds(make profits' for their 'business' and keep wages low. The system needs changing.
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