Intersectional Inequalities Within the UK’s Paid Care Sector: An Analysis into the Lived Experiences of South Asian Domiciliary Workers on Visa Sponsorships

Abstract

Countries such as the UK face a surging demand for care services in line with rising ageing populations. Yet the sector faces high turnover rates and many carers – the majority of whom work in domiciliary care and have immigrated to the UK on the Skilled Worker Visa – face mental and physical fatigue. This paper examines the extent of the role of the UK’s current immigration system in the context of the lives of migrant domiciliary care workers. Using semi-structured interviews, the experiences of migrant South Asian domiciliary care workers were compared with those workers employed in care homes. Using thematic analysis, themes relating to employer–worker relationships, experiences within the UK’s immigration system and working routines were explored to uncover the intersectional inequalities the carers faced. The results show that employers contribute to the reproduction of the inequalities of gender and ethnicity perpetuated by the exploitative nature of the UK’s regulatory and immigration frameworks. These findings point to the root behind the current shortage seen within the industry.