Disability and Migration Network Response To Care Worker Visa Announcement

News
Following on from the Prime Minister's announcement yesterday that they are planning to shut the overseas care worker visa route, the Disability and Migration Network, of which DR UK is a part of, has released a joint statement in firm opposition to the proposals. Read our full statement below - it is vitally important that we fight back against the rising anti-migrant rhetoric and policies we see from the current government.

“The system of social care in England is utterly broken. It fails millions of Disabled people of all ages by denying us support, providing us with inadequate levels of support, and providing us with harmful and oppressive support in closed settings. Many Disabled people die before they receive social care. The current system doesn’t enable us to develop, flourish, and lead full lives. Rather, it rations help, puts in place minimum levels of care and charges people with scant resources.

When Disabled people are able to access care and support, this is often from migrant care workers, whose skills and essential role in social care have been devalued and invalidated by both the government and the media.

The government’s dangerous and inflammatory announcement further normalises far-right politics, while distracting from the repeated failure of successive governments to progress meaningful reform, or to reverse the widespread profiteering in England’s predominantly privatised social care sector.

At a time when the government is further restricting access to social security and slashing funding for the NHS, this policy will only increase the pressure on public services, with disastrous consequences.

The government’s politics of division risk pushing the country back toward the unspeakable violence we witnessed last summer. Instead of looking for positive solutions that seek to invest in our social care system, today’s announcements will make it harder for Disabled people to get the support we need. Every day we witness the significant negative impact that these policies have on care users’ physical health and well-being.

Disabled people, migrants and minoritised communities are being targeted by government policies. Many of us have lived experience of racism and we are aware that Disabled people of colour may be or feel at greater risk of harm in these circumstances. Let us work together to build a society in which our needs are met and we are all valued for who we are.”