Nuffield Trust response on EEA workers report

Social care could face a gap of up to 70,000 workers by 2025.

Press release

Published: 05/11/2018

Responding to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research’s report on EEA health and social care workers for the Cavendish Coalition, Nuffield Trust chief executive Nigel Edwards said:

“This is an extensive and credible report which should trouble everyone who cares about the future of health and care in the UK. Our own calculations have shown that with no further net migration or improvements domestically, social care could face a gap of up to 70,000 workers by 2025 [1]. The Government’s reported plan to stem all immigration of less qualified people after Brexit, and the repeated ducking of tough choices on social care, make this worst case scenario look worryingly plausible.”

Notes to editors

1. Our calculations on the social care workforce in England were carried out last year and can be seen here, along with details of how this might be calculated. We assumed no further net migration of EEA workers from 2019, reflecting a worst case scenario.

2. The Nuffield Trust is an independent health think tank. We aim to improve the quality of health care in the UK by providing evidence-based research and policy analysis and informing and generating debate.

3. For any questions or to arrange an interview, please contact leonora.merry@nuffieldtrust.org.uk / mark.dayan@nuffieldtrust.org.uk; 0207 462 0555 / 0207 462 0538.

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