Politics

Mahmood revises UK settlement plans, easing wait for some care workers

Care workers earning over £25,000 can apply after five years, while the Conservatives say the change will cost billions.

Published Nov 3, 2026 · 13:48 UTC2 reports

The short version

Care workers earning over £25,000 can apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years under the revised plans.[The Guardian]
The Home Office says workers in occupations below RQF Level 6 will no longer face the proposed 15-year pathway.[The Guardian]
Mahmood says the revised plans still save billions, while the Conservatives call the change a U-turn that will cost billions.[BBC News]
Mahmood denies the change is a U-turn and says about 500,000 people already in the UK will wait longer than five years.[BBC News]

Care workers earning over £25,000 can apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years under the revised proposals.[The Guardian]
The Home Office says workers in occupations below RQF Level 6 will no longer face the proposed 15-year pathway.[The Guardian]
Mahmood told the BBC the state would still save billions because workers in other sectors would have to wait longer.[BBC News]
The Conservatives called the revision a U-turn and said it will cost the state billions of pounds.[BBC News]
Mahmood has denied the move was a U-turn and said some 500,000 people already in the UK would now wait longer than five years for settlement.[BBC News]

Mahmood has not detailed the cost of the revised plans, so her claim that they save billions cannot be checked against published figures in the reporting.[BBC News]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.