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Councils and local government unionists have slammed Government plans that would force councils into recruiting the majority of their care workers from inside the EU.

UNISON national secretary, Heather Wakefield, has called for an ‘urgent re-think' of the Home Office's Migration Advisory Committee's new migration system, which outlines a list of shortage occupations for the UK.

It proposes that only the most skilled care workers earning at least £8.80 an hour can be recruited from outside the EU. The median average wage level for skilled care workers is currently £6.25.

Ms Wakefield said: ‘£8.80 is way above what many care homes can afford to pay. Unless the government commits major funding to paying this salary, the recommendations will disrupt care services and risk lives by creating a serious skills shortage. The UK relies heavily on the efforts of overseas care workers, and due to population change we are going to need far more of them, not less.'

The move will not be welcomed by many councils, where care services are under increasing pressure as the number of elderly people rises.

Director of resources for Kent Adult Social Services, Caroline Highwood, said: ‘My concern with these proposals is that employers will have to pay more to attract replacement staff, which would put pressure on costs and placements would become more expensive.

‘In areas of high employment, it might be impossible to find replacement staff and businesses could close. This would reduce the care market in Kent and, in the long run, put pressure on costs as well.'

The effect of the proposals will be to reduce by almost one third the number of posts available to non-Europeans.

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