Home Office Sends Letters to Children of Care Workers Ordering Them to Leave UK: Report

LONDON June 1: Children as young as five who are legally living in the UK have reportedly received letters from the Home Office telling them they must leave the country, despite their parents being granted permission to remain. The cases have sparked criticism from campaigners, immigration experts and trade unions, who argue that the government is unfairly targeting families who have contributed to Britain’s overstretched care sector.

According to reporting by The Guardian, the Home Office has issued letters to several children of migrant care workers instructing them to leave the UK. The newspaper said it had seen five such letters, as well as a separate notice sent to a woman who was six months pregnant, telling her she must leave the UK despite living there with her husband. The families involved are understood to have entered the country legally under the care worker visa scheme, which until March 2024 allowed workers to bring their partners and children as dependants.

Families Left Facing Uncertainty
Many of the affected families say they were shocked to receive the notices, particularly as their children are settled in schools and local communities across the UK. Campaigners have described the letters as distressing and inappropriate, noting that some were addressed directly to young children who have little understanding of immigration procedures but now face the prospect of being separated from friends, schools and the lives they have built in Britain. One parent told The Guardian that the letters created fear and confusion within the family, particularly among children who now regard the UK as their home.

Care Workers Caught by Immigration Changes
The controversy comes amid major changes to Britain’s immigration system. For several years, overseas care workers were actively recruited to help address severe staffing shortages across the social care sector. International recruitment became a key part of efforts to maintain services as providers struggled to fill vacancies domestically. Critics argue that workers who responded to government-backed recruitment drives are now being penalised by stricter immigration policies introduced after they arrived. Immigration advisers have also warned that visa sponsorship issues, employer closures and changing regulations have left some workers vulnerable despite entering the country through legal routes.

Family’s Shock After Receiving Removal Notices
Among those affected is care worker Varuni Arachchige, who lives in Scotland with her husband and their two children, aged eight and five. Arachchige told The Guardian that her own visa had been extended until 2031, but her husband and children, who are listed as her dependants, had been instructed to leave the country. “We are completely shocked by the family receiving these letters,” she said. “We have been living legally in the UK since we arrived here on Christmas Day in 2022. My visa has been extended by the Home Office until 2031. But my husband and children, who are my dependants, have been told to leave the country.”

Campaigners Raise Concerns Over Children’s Welfare
Migrant rights groups and charities have condemned the cases, arguing that immigration enforcement should place greater emphasis on the welfare and best interests of children. They point out that many of the youngsters affected have spent significant periods of their lives in the UK, where they attend school, have established friendships and are integrated into their communities. The latest cases have reignited debate about how immigration decisions affect children who have no control over their family’s visa circumstances but may still face the consequences of enforcement action.

Home Office Defends Policy
The Home Office has defended its approach, arguing that immigration rules must be applied consistently and fairly. A spokesperson said: “We will always welcome those who contribute to this country and wish to build a better life here. But we must restore order and control to our borders. “We have set out plans for the biggest legal migration reforms in a generation, addressing the challenges caused by unprecedented levels of migration under the previous government. It is a privilege, not a right, to settle in the UK and it must be earned, rewarding contribution and those who play by the rules.”

Ministers have repeatedly argued that tighter immigration controls are necessary to reduce net migration and restore confidence in the immigration system. The government has also pointed to measures aimed at tackling abuse within the care worker visa route. However, critics say the latest cases highlight the unintended consequences of broader policy changes for families who entered the UK legally and have contributed to essential public services.

Care Worker Visa Restrictions
In March 2024, the government introduced rules preventing newly arriving care workers from bringing partners and children to the UK as dependants. A further restriction followed in July 2025 with the introduction of a ban on overseas recruitment of care workers. The Home Office estimated that approximately 120,000 family members accompanied around 100,000 care workers who entered the UK under the visa scheme.

Lawyers cited by The Guardian say they have seen a growing number of cases involving dependants receiving notices requiring them to leave the country. As criticism mounts, campaigners are calling on ministers to review the affected cases and introduce stronger protections for children caught up in immigration enforcement decisions. They warn that the consequences extend beyond administrative procedures and could have a lasting impact on families who believed they had built secure lives in Britain.