LONDON – Zola, a 45-year-old Zimbabwean woman, dreamt of a brighter future when she accepted a care-giving job in Britain. Lured by the promise of stable employment and a chance to provide for her three children back in Harare, she embarked on a journey that has instead led to homelessness and crippling debt.
Zola’s story is not unique. Thousands of overseas workers, recruited by care companies across Britain, find themselves in similar desperate situations after losing their jobs. Campaigners are calling it a national crisis, highlighting the exploitation of migrant workers within the UK’s care sector.
In 2022, the British government introduced a visa scheme aimed at attracting overseas workers to address the growing needs of its care industry. Approximately 150,000 individuals have since arrived from countries such as India, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe, eager to fill the vacancies.
However, this influx has been accompanied by a surge in reports of exploitation. The government has since taken action, banning hundreds of companies from sponsoring migrant workers. While intended to protect vulnerable individuals, this measure has inadvertently left many carers jobless and facing the threat of deportation.
Zola, who requested to be identified only by a pseudonym for fear of repercussions, was recruited by a firm in Leeds in 2023. She is now grappling with a debt of £10,000.
“The way we’ve been treated is outrageous,” Zola explained. “We were encouraged to come here to contribute our skills, but the jobs never materialised and now we’re trapped in debt.”
Before coming to the UK, Zola was working as a sales representative for a farm in Zimbabwe, but the company was struggling financially. As a single mother, she knew she needed to find a more stable source of income.
“My sister told me the UK was looking for care workers so I quit my job and did a Red Cross course and a work placement to get experience,” she recounts.
She then discovered a company that offered sponsorship for £5,000. “It seemed expensive, but some people were paying £10,000. I only discovered later it was illegal to charge these fees,” she added.
To pursue this opportunity, Zola borrowed money from friends and relatives, and her children moved in with her mother. The costs associated with the visa application, English test, police background check, and flight amounted to approximately £7,000.
Zola explains the initial shock she experienced upon arriving in the UK. “The first shock when I arrived was the accommodation. They promised us housing, but the property was crammed with people and under renovation. There were bed bugs, there was no heating and we had to use a bucket to wash ourselves.”
She anticipated starting work immediately, but was met with constant delays. “I thought I’d start work immediately, but they kept saying they were losing clients and didn’t have shifts,” she said.
Zola believes the company recruited far too many carers without having sufficient work available. “I think they had hired about 100 of us because we were all in a large WhatsApp group. My annual salary was supposed to be £20,480, but I only received a few shifts and was paid £930 in total in all the time I was with the company.”
The working conditions were also far from ideal. “We were caring for people in their own homes. Shifts started early and finished at 10 at night, but they only paid for the time you spent in clients’ homes, not the time you were on call.”
Zola recalls the hardships she endured during the colder months. “By October, it was very cold outside and we had nowhere to go between appointments so I’d spend hours riding around and around the city on buses just to stay warm.”
The company employed intimidation tactics to discourage complaints. “If the carers complained about anything, the managers would threaten to remove them from the rota or report them to the Home Office. Everyone was afraid of losing their visa and getting deported. There were constant threats.”
Last year, the company lost its sponsor licence, leaving Zola in a precarious situation. “Then last year the company lost its sponsor licence so I have to find a new sponsor.”
The situation has taken a significant toll on Zola’s mental health and her ability to support her children back home. “The emotional and financial strain has affected me very badly mentally, especially as my children are still in Harare.”
She added, “When I applied for my visa, the government said carers could bring their children. I was hoping my children would join me once I got established, but that never happened.”
The distance from her children and her inability to provide for them has been particularly devastating. “Now I dread calls from home – I took the job hoping to create a better life for my children, but I can’t even provide them with the basics, which breaks my heart. Sometimes my daughter is crying because she misses me. It’s gut-wrenching.”
Since arriving in the UK, Zola has had to rely on charity to survive. “But I’ve had to borrow even more money since coming here just to survive. I’ve had to use food banks or ask for groceries from the church. A friend of my sister has given me a place to sleep.”
Finding a new sponsor has proven difficult. “It’s very difficult to find a new sponsor because companies providing home care ask for a driving licence. Another problem is they often want six months’ experience, but some carers lost their jobs soon after arriving here.”
Zola believes the government should be held accountable for the situation. “The government is partly to blame because they allowed these companies to sponsor a lot of people without doing background checks to see if they had enough work for everyone.”
“So yes, the government should be held accountable. I came here through the proper channels, I did everything they asked, and now I’m treated like someone who came through the back door,” she added.
Despite the immense challenges she faces, Zola remains hopeful. “I’ve thought about going back to Zimbabwe so many times, but then I remember how much I owe everyone. I’m just hoping there’s light at the end of the tunnel.”
Zola’s story highlights the urgent need for greater oversight and protection for migrant workers in the UK’s care sector. She, along with thousands of others, came to Britain seeking a better life, only to find themselves trapped in a system that has failed to deliver on its promises.
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