UK Caregiver Jobs – A Step-by-Step Guide in 2024

If you are a qualified health professional, doctor, nurse, or adult social care professional, you can land UK caregiver jobs in the United Kingdom. These jobs are available to foreign professionals from various countries through the Health and Care Worker visa. Also, it could be the perfect opportunity for you to immigrate to the UK through the job route.

However, working in the United Kingdom without a work visa is impossible. This means that you must secure one before you can move out of your country of residence if you are not already resident in the UK. Also, certain conditions must be met before you can get a UK work visa, and these conditions are not negotiable. That means you must meet them, or you do not stand a chance.

So, before you apply for a Health and Care Worker visa, you must have gotten a job offer from an approved UK company. Also, because such an employer is facilitating your entry into or continued to stay in the UK, such an employer can be referred to as a sponsor.

So, how do you go about getting UK caregiver jobs so you can get a UK work visa? The answer to this is not so hard as you will see in the course of this article! You will also find that UK employers are more than willing to help you start your UK immigration journey.

But it gets even better! These employers will not charge you a dime for the entire process! And they will do everything they can to help you scale the divide.

Table of Contents

UK Caregiver Jobs – Who is a caregiver?

Caregivers provide care for people who cannot look after themselves. It is also an essential component of protecting and promoting the overall health and well-being of people who have long-term illnesses that require continual monitoring. This is an important aspect of their lives.

Caregiving, in contrast to in-patient care, typically takes place either in the individual’s own home or at an assisted living facility. However, the state of the person receiving care determines the type of support you will be required to provide as a caregiver.

What is the job of a caregiver in the UK?

As a UK caregiver, you will ideally help assist with personal care in several ways. Examples of such assistance include:

Administering and monitoring medications: monitoring medication and prescription consumption, sending appointment reminders, and dispensing medication.
Help with physical activities: using the restroom and other physical activities.
Home care: washing and grooming of patient’s clothing,
Shopping and meal preparation: You may also help with fundamental aspects of food preparation, including grocery shopping, cleaning, and meal preparation. All this is in addition to
Support and companionship: Being a reliable companion and supporter in all personal, health-related, and emotional concerns
Transportation and Mobility: Transportation, including assistance entering and exiting a vehicle that is wheelchair accessible, driving to and from various activities, and running errands.
Round-the-clock supervision: Personal supervision relates to providing all-round companionship and supervision.
Providing reassurance: care for the elderly, including reassuring or re-orienting a person who has Alzheimer’s disease or dementia and communicating their physician’s advice to other family members.
Monitoring patient’s health: monitoring a patient’s health involves adhering to a treatment plan and documenting and reporting any variations in an individual’s health.
Home organization: Assistance with home organization, including but not limited to packing, cleaning, and organizing for a trip, as well as general house care and cleaning

Are caregivers even needed in the UK?

There is currently a demand for carers in the UK. This is underlined by the recent efforts by private care homes and the UK government to recruit more caregivers in 2023. The UK government has relaunched its annual recruitment campaign to further underline the importance of carers in the United Kingdom.

Through the campaign with the theme: ‘Made with Care,’ the UK government is encouraging people to apply for a career as a carer. The government is also emphasizing the positives of the campaign, as it offers once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for a range of jobs in adult social care. There is also the chance to build a career as a carer while improving yourself through development and training.

If you want to know more about getting government-backed UK caregiver jobs, just click here.

More about UK Caregiver jobs

Now that you know that caregivers are needed in the UK, the next thing is to know how to apply. So, how do you go about the application?

First, you must have a job offer from a sponsor before being issued a Health and Care Worker Visa to work as a caregiver in the UK. However, you must have fulfilled certain eligibility criteria before you can even be considered for a job offer. So, what are the eligibility criteria for getting a job offer to work as a caregiver in the United Kingdom?

UK Caregiver Jobs – Eligibility

To be eligible for a UK Health and Care Worker visa, you must:

Have been working in an eligible health or social care sector
Have secured employment with a UK employer that has been approved for sponsorship roles by the Home Office
Have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from the approved employer. The document must also provide clear information on the role that the employer has offered you.
Be a qualified health professional, doctor, nurse, health or adult social care worker.
Has your would-be employer offered you a salary

Additional eligibility criteria

Only jobs in the following occupational codes qualify for a UK Health and Care Worker Visa:

6146: Senior care workers
6145: Care workers and home carers
2222: Occupational therapists
2221: Physiotherapists
2219: Health professionals that are ‘not elsewhere classified’, such as audiologists and occupational health advisers
2218: Podiatrists
2217: Medical radiographers
2215: Dental practitioners
2214: Ophthalmic opticians
2213: Pharmacists
2212: Psychologists
2211: Medical practitioners
2113: Physical scientists
2112: Biological scientists and biochemists
1242: Residential, day, and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
1181: Health services and public health managers and directors
6143: Dental nurses
6141: Nursing auxiliaries and assistants
3219: Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified
3218: Medical and dental technicians
3217: Pharmaceutical technicians
3216: Dispensing opticians
3213: Paramedics
3111: Laboratory technicians
2442: Social workers
2232: Midwives
2231: Nurses
2229: Therapy professionals that are ‘not elsewhere classified,’ such as osteopaths and psychotherapists
2223: Speech and language therapists

Note: Ensure that the job you were offered conforms to one of these codes to get the needed to work as a caregiver in the UK.

English Language proficiency

To qualify for the UK Health and Care Worker visa, you are also expected to be able to speak, read, write, and understand the English language. You will be expected to write an English proficiency test to prove that you have adequate knowledge of the language in the process of applying,

How long you can stay in the UK on the Health and Care Worker visa

It is up to 5 years, after which you may extend it. However, you must update your visa if you wish to work with another employer. The same applies to changing jobs during your stay in the UK.

Note: There are no limits to how many times you can extend your UK visa. You can extend as many times as you want as long as you continue to meet the eligibility criteria. You may even be eligible to settle permanently in the United Kingdom after your first 5-year visa expires.

How to apply for UK Caregiver jobs through the Health and Care Worker visa

All applications must be made online via the UK Home Office Application Portal. When applying, you can register your partner and child(ren) as dependents as long as they qualify.

How long would the application take

Because many like you are applying for the UK Health and Care Worker visa, you may want to start your application early. Ideally, your sponsor would have stated the day you are expected to start working on your certificate of sponsorship, and that is what you need to work with.

Consider starting three months before your expected start date, and things will pan out nicely from there. Normally, you should know your fate three weeks after you start your application and submit all necessary documents. However, starting early allows you to still arrive on time, even if there are issues in your application process.

How much does it cost to apply

When it comes to the cost of applying for the Health and Care Worker visa, there are two factors to consider:

The application fee: The Health and Care Worker visa fee depends on your expected length of stay.

£247 per person if you are applying for a visa to stay in the UK for up to 3 years
£479 per person if you are applying for a visa to stay in the UK for more than three years

Money to support yourself: This amount must be in your bank account when you are applying for the Health and Care Worker visa. The idea behind this is that the UK government expects you to be able to take care of yourself before your first payday. The minimum required amount is £1,270 (you can have more) and must be in your bank account for at least 30 days.

Do you need a qualification to work as a caregiver in the UK?

To become a caregiver in the UK, you typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. But, the employing institution may choose not to look at these qualifications. One important thing is the experience that the carer has gained over time.

Also, you may be required to complete a training program or obtain relevant certifications to work in certain settings, such as a nursing home or hospital.

How much are caregivers paid in the UK?

As a UK carer, the least you can be paid is an annual salary of £25,600 or £10.10 per hour. But, you may earn a higher figure, depending on several factors, including:

Your qualifications
Level of experience
Required extra certifications

How many hours do caregivers work in the UK?

As a UK caregiver, you will be expected to work between 8 and 10 hours if you live with the client you care for. However, you may be asked to work longer or even through the night if the client wishes. This would mean that an agreement has to be reached between you and your employer.

Benefits of working as a caregiver

You will gain a lot as a caregiver in the UK. One of the benefits of working as a caregiver is the flexibility that the job offers. Many caregivers work part-time or casually, which allows for a good work-life balance. Also, many caregivers choose to work independently, providing home care services to clients in their own homes and thereby earning more money.

Well, isn’t money what we all want?

Tips for getting your first Caregiver job

In addition to searching for job openings, it is important to have a strong resume and cover letter that highlights your qualifications and experience. You should also be prepared to demonstrate your skills and knowledge during an interview and provide references from past employers or clients. This will go a long way to giving you a good impression with prospective employers.

FAQ on UK Caregiver Jobs

Does the caregiver need IELTS in the UK?

Yes, every aspiring caregiver must take the assessment to prove they can read, write, speak, and understand the English language.

How do I get a sponsor to work as a Care Worker in the UK?

To find UK sponsors for caregiver jobs, you can search online job boards, such as Indeed or Reed, or check the websites of local care providers. You can also network with individuals in the industry, such as nurses or social workers, to learn about job opportunities in the UK.

You can also check the approved list of UK visa sponsors and connect with any of them.

What is the age limit for caregivers in the UK?

There is no age limit for caregivers in the UK unless the employer has a specific age bracket in mind.

What am I allowed to do once I start a UK caregiver job

When you eventually start as a UK carer, you are entitled to some rights, and it is only normal that you know those rights from now on. You can:

Study in any of the UK’s institutions of learning
Take up other jobs in addition to being a carer (certain conditions apply in this regard)
Volunteer
Apply for permanent settlement in the UK (you must have lived in the UK for five at least years in addition to meeting other eligibility criteria)
Bring dependants (your partner and child(ren) into the UK
Travel out of and back into the UK without restrictions

What am I not allowed to do once I start a UK caregiver job

You cannot do certain things once you start working in the UK as a caregiver. Some of the things you are not allowed to do are:

You cannot change jobs or switch employers unless you visit the home office and update your visa
You are not eligible, cannot apply for benefits connected to public funds, and cannot apply for state pension.

What if I am not eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa?

There have been times when aspiring candidates fall short of the Health and Care Worker visa requirements, so you won’t be the first. Also, it is not the end of the world, so cheer up. Also, you may even qualify for other types of UK work visas.

But what if you are not looking for caregiver jobs in the UK? You can go for Nursing jobs in Canada, Salesforce Jobs in Canada, or Teaching jobs in New Zealand.

Conclusion on UK Caregiver Jobs

UK caregiver jobs are an excellent career choice for individuals who are compassionate, patient, and dedicated to helping others. But, you won’t just be helping others by getting a UK caregiver job. You’ll be helping yourself as well. This is because the caregiving occupation offers a lot of benefits.

So, why not get started now?

Because with the right qualifications, experience, and a positive attitude, you can be on your way to a fulfilling and rewarding career in the healthcare industry.