The UK government's proposed changes to immigration policy, aimed at reducing net migration and prioritising high-skilled workers, pose significant risks to the adult social care sector.
In this insight, we explore how these changes could impact your staff and service users and how you can manage and reduce the risks. Below, we look at:
In May 2025, the UK Government published a white paper Restoring Control over the Immigration System as part of its Plan for Change.
One of the planned changes will be to end overseas recruitment for adult social care visas, preventing new applications from abroad. A transition period will last until 2028 while the workforce strategy is being created and implemented. This will allow visa extensions and in-country switching, which means workers might be able to apply to change (switch) to a skilled worker visa if they are already in the UK on a different type of visa. This will be kept under review.
Considering the proposed changes to the UK’s immigration policy, social care providers face increased people risks. People risks refer to the potential hazards and vulnerabilities that can affect the well-being, physical health and mental state of employees and other individuals within an organisation.
The social care sector has long depended on international workers to fill essential roles. Removing this pipeline threatens to deepen existing shortages, which could leave your organisation unable to meet staffing needs and facing increased risks of service disruption.
With fewer new hires, the pressure on your current staff could intensify, creating a cascade of people risks, such as burnout and mental health deterioration due to excessive workloads. You may also see higher absenteeism and turnover, as employees seek less stressful roles.
Staffing shortfalls can lead to delays in care, reduced service availability and ultimately lower patient satisfaction. Understaffed and overstretched teams are more prone to errors, which can have serious consequences for patient safety. These issues can, in turn, erode public trust and damage the reputation of care providers, increasing the risk of regulatory or professional liability breaches.
Understaffing can also affect employee morale and compromise team cohesion as staff struggle to meet expectations with limited resources.
The people risks described above come at a time when the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is increasingly focusing on ensuring employers support psychological health and safety. If your organisation fails to address these risks, you may face not only operational disruption but also legal and financial consequences.
In light of increasing workforce pressures and regulatory scrutiny, taking a structured and proactive approach to managing work-related stress can reduce the risks. A key component here is conducting and documenting stress risk assessments, which isn't only a legal requirement but also a vital tool for protecting employee wellbeing and organisational resilience.
A documented stress risk assessment can help your organisation:
The HSE Management Standards provide a robust framework for risk assessment and managing work-related stress. They define six key areas or ‘standards’ that, if not properly managed, are associated with poor health, lower productivity and increased sickness absence:
Risk assessments using this framework should consider how each of the potential hazards could manifest and where introducing controls will reduce the risk of harm and promote positive wellbeing.
In health and social care, staff often face situations where they must act against their instincts due to rigid policies. For example, a care worker may be prohibited from physically intervening to stop a client from falling because of health and safety rules. This lack of control can cause moral distress, erode job satisfaction and increase stress.
All of this means your organisation should avoid underestimating the significance of lack of control in fuelling workplace stress.
A key principle in developing a suitable and effective risk assessment is active consultation with your employees. Too often, we see a disconnect between what employers perceive as the main hazards to psychological health and what employees are experiencing on the ground. Without direct input from staff, risk assessments may overlook or misinterpret the real sources of stress, leading to ineffective or misaligned interventions.
Consulting with your employees will help you to:
Consultation methods can include anonymous surveys, focus groups, one-to-one interviews or facilitated workshops. These approaches not only gather valuable insights but also empower employees to be part of the solution.
While the transitional period until 2028 offers some short-term relief for current visa holders, it risks intensifying existing workforce shortages and does not address the long-term people risks, including burnout, regulatory or legal liabilities, compromised care quality and reputational damage.
As staffing pressures mount, it’s critical your organisation prioritises safeguarding employee wellbeing through proactive psychological health and safety. Long-term resilience will depend on strategic workforce planning, inclusive policy advocacy and a sustained commitment to creating safe and supportive working environments.
For specialist support in creating psychologically safe and supportive working environments, get in touch.
