Indian Care Worker Wins Nearly £30,000 After UK Sponsor Failed to Provide Work

An Indian care worker has been awarded nearly £30,000 in compensation after a UK employment tribunal ruled that his sponsoring employer unlawfully failed to provide him work despite a valid contract and visa status.

Shabin Shaji, 33, from Kerala , arrived in the United Kingdom under the Health and Care Worker visa scheme after receiving sponsorship from Swan Care Solutions Ltd for a care job in Staffordshire. The tribunal in Birmingham found that the company gave him no shifts for around a year, despite his legal right and readiness to work.

Judge Edmonds ruled that Shaji was employed on a 40-hour weekly contract between April 2023 and April 2024, earning £22,880 annually, and was throughout “ready, willing and able” to work. The tribunal held that the employer’s failure to assign duties amounted to an unauthorised deduction from wages , effectively treating him like a zero-hours worker without legal basis.

Additional findings show Shaji had paid recruitment intermediaries and incurred significant relocation costs before arriving in the UK. However, he was left without income, unable to take alternative employment due to visa restrictions , and reportedly depended on charity support and food aid during prolonged hardship.

The tribunal ordered payment of back wages, holiday pay, statutory awards, and legal costs , bringing the total compensation to nearly £30,000. It also found that the employer’s documentation and defence were inconsistent and rejected claims that employment had not properly commenced.

Reports further confirm that Swan Care Solutions’ sponsor licence was later revoked by UK authorities , reflecting broader regulatory action in the care sector.

The case has been highlighted by advocacy groups as part of wider concerns over migrant worker exploitation in the UK care visa system , where strict dependence on a single sponsor can leave workers vulnerable if employers fail to provide work or comply with obligations.