Reform UK overseas worker levy 'would damage schools and social care'

Reform UK's pledge to introduce a levy on employing overseas staff has drawn sharp criticism from sector experts, who warn it would severely impact public services including schools and social care. The proposed "migrant worker surcharge" would impose higher employer national insurance contributions plus an annual charge on any employees without a UK passport, including EU nationals with settled status. Teaching unions and education leaders have raised particular concerns about teacher recruitment, warning the policy could worsen existing shortages in schools at a time when many local authorities are already struggling to secure qualified staff. Similarly, social care providers have cautioned that the levy would compound workforce crises in children's and adult social care, where services rely heavily on overseas staff to meet statutory duties and maintain safeguarding standards. The proposals would also extend to universities, with some institutions warning they could face bankruptcy if required to pay additional costs for international academic staff. For local government cabinet members responsible for children's services, the policy raises difficult questions about workforce planning, sufficiency of provision, and the ability to maintain standards across education and social care settings in an already challenging recruitment environment.