Harrowing abuse of care employees trapped in fashionable slavery as a whole lot failed
Hundreds of care employees are trapped in fashionable slavery, compelled to work lengthy hours to repay unlawful money owed of over £11,000 attributable to Government failings, a harrowing new report warns.
Labour shortages imply employees recruited from abroad are being preyed on by unscrupulous employers and businesses, leaving them frightened of abusive bosses and combating crippling money owed. Charity Unseen stated final yr 712 individuals, principally from Asian or African nations, contacted the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline it runs – up from 106 a yr earlier.
Unseen stated it has recognized 1,020 potential victims of recent slavery working within the care sector since January 2022. One, named Janet, stated she was charged £10,000 for a certificates of sponsorship by her employer after being recruited from Zimbabwe. In order to repay the debt she’s needed to work 18 hour shifts for 10 days in a row, taking dwelling as little as £200 a month. The report stated her employers threatened to hurt and her household in the event that they reported the exploitation, and warned she could possibly be deported.
Another, named Divya, had her passport confiscated and was compelled to work back-to-back 12 hour shifts with out breaks, the research discovered. Police intervened in her case after she was recognized as a sufferer of recent slavery. More than 430 individuals stated they’ve had their actions restricted, whereas three quarters stated they’d been subjected to monetary management.
Andrew Wallis, Unseen’s chief government, stated: “This report shows that the current approach of recruiting overseas to address a chronic shortage of care staff in the UK is a disaster for many workers. “As the employee supply chain has got longer and more complicated, labour abuse and exploitation has increased. The Home Office needs to better apply existing laws, particularly the principle of no recruitment fees imposed on the employee, and to ensure proper scrutiny of the employee supply chain by UK care companies and recruitment agencies.
“It is individual workers who are paying the price of this neglect.” The report says: “Many workers travelling to the UK don’t know their rights and by the time they get to their work destination, it’s often too late and they find themselves trapped by debt, fear of abusive employers, or lack of information.
“With the current economic and political climate, we’re likely to see an increase in the number of vulnerable people contacting the Helpline.” It called on better checks and enforcement to ensure care workers aren’t being exploited.
A Government spokeswoman said: “We strongly condemn offering Health and Care Worker visa holders employment under false pretences. The Government does not tolerate illegal activity in the labour market and any accusations of illegal employment practices will be thoroughly looked into. Those found operating unlawfully may face prosecution and/or removal from the sponsorship register.”
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