The Scottish Government has reopened the Adult Social Care Displaced Workers Scheme as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the care workforce and increase capacity across the sector.
The initiative is designed to help social care employers recruit international care workers who are already living in the UK but have lost their sponsored employment through no fault of their own. By matching employers with experienced workers, the scheme aims to improve workforce resilience and help meet growing demand for care services.
Since its launch, the programme has supported 37 social care employers to recruit 120 workers, helping to address staffing pressures across the sector.
The renewed investment is expected to support the delivery of up to 45,000 additional hours of adult social care every month, a key commitment made by the Scottish Government in response to increasing pressures created by an ageing population.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney said:
“We are all too familiar with the challenges facing our adult social care sector, especially given our ageing population, and it’s why we must ensure services meet our growing demand for care. I committed to provide an extra 45,000 hours of care each month and we have begun to deliver that increase within the first 100 days of the new government.
“UK Government decisions on immigration have inflicted pain on our social care sector at a time when demand for care is increasing and its choices on tax have heaped an £84 million bill on the sector by increasing Employers’ National Insurance contributions. The Prime Minister has spoken about reforming social care services, but meaningful reform requires a workforce to deliver it. I urge him to reconsider and to reverse the harm done by the UK Government over the past two years.
“I am grateful to have the opportunity to hear first-hand the positive impact our scheme has had and how we can – and must – explore every option available to ensure we continue to make a positive difference to people’s lives and to a service which we all may one day need.”
The reopening of the scheme comes as social care providers continue to face recruitment challenges, with sector leaders warning that workforce shortages remain one of the biggest barriers to delivering timely care. By enabling employers to recruit experienced international workers already based in the UK, the Scottish Government hopes to improve service capacity while providing greater employment stability for displaced workers.
The move forms part of wider efforts to enhance adult social care provision, reduce waiting times for support, and ensure services can meet the needs of Scotland’s growing older population.
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