UK care operators accused of ‘shocking abuse’ of migrant workers

Unison says some workers given substandard accommodation and 80-hour weeks and forced to repay recruitment fees

Care operators have been accused of shocking abuse" of migrant workers who are allegedly being forced to pay back thousands of pounds in recruitment fees, housed in substandard accommodation and asked to work 80-hour weeks.

Christina McAnea, the general secretary of Unison, the health care trade union, has written to the social care minister, Helen Whately, urging the government to step in and demanding a meeting over a situation she described as a crisis".

Required to be permanently on call

Working 19-hour shifts without breaks

Having wages withheld

Required to pay large sums to recruitment agencies, which are then split with the care operator.