Lambeth UNISON is calling on all council candidates to back this charter publicly and to ensure Lambeth Council signs it after the May 2026 election.

UNISON’s Migrant Care Workers Charter sets out clear standards to protect migrant care workers from abuse and exploitation and to ensure local authorities take responsibility for the way care is commissioned and delivered in their area.

Why the charter matters

The extension of the Health and Care Visa has opened up opportunities for thousands of migrant workers to join the UK’s care workforce. But it’s also created new risks — including illegal recruitment fees, tied accommodation, unpaid hours, and threats of deportation.

Some employers have used sponsorship as leverage, threatening workers with the loss of their visa if they speak up about unsafe or unfair treatment. That’s not care — that’s exploitation.

Local authorities commission the majority of adult social care. That means they have both a legal duty and a moral responsibility to make sure taxpayer money isn’t funding abuse. By signing the charter, councils commit to upholding basic standards of decency and fairness across their care supply chains.

What the charter commits councils to do

The charter lays out 28 commitments that ensure migrant care workers are safe, respected, and supported at work.

Local authorities signing the charter agree to:

• End exploitation and modern slavery — by requiring providers to have clear anti-slavery statements and oversight mechanisms.
• Protect workers’ visa security — ensuring care providers can’t use sponsorship as a threat or form of control.
• Stamp out illegal recruitment fees and unfair repayment clauses.
• Ensure fair pay and working hours, including payment for travel time.
• Guarantee fair accommodation and freedom to choose where to live.
• Protect pregnant workers and those on maternity leave from losing sponsorship.
• Support ethical recruitment, using trusted and transparent agencies.
• Ensure access to unions and information on employment rights in workers’ first languages.
• Hold care providers to account through monitoring, reporting, and senior oversight.

A message to councils

When a care provider exploits staff, the quality of care for service users suffers too.

By adopting this charter, councils will be helping to:

• Uphold the Care Act’s duty to prevent abuse and neglect;
• Ensure high-quality care through fair treatment of staff; and
• Show leadership in creating ethical and sustainable care systems.