This working paper examines the evolving immigration compliance pressures facing social care providers in the United Kingdom. These pressures have been situated within broader policy shifts around migration, workforce governance and post-Brexit regulation. Drawing on existing iterature and informal stakeholder interviews, this working paper highlights how these administrative and ethical challenges have persisted and intensified for the social care sector.
This Working Paper was written by Dr Meherunissa Hamid and Professor Shereen Hussein as part of the Centre for Care’s Care Workforce Change research group.
To cite: Hamid, M. and Hussein, S. (2026). From Crisis to Chronic Shortage: the future of adult social care workforce recruitment in the UK. Centre for Care Working Paper 7, CIRCLE, Sheffield: University of Sheffield
ISBN 978-1-8382688-9-3
©The authors and CIRCLE, The University of Sheffield, April 2026