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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Chris Osuh Community affairs correspondent

‘Frightened to get out of their cars’: Britain’s toxic race debates threaten overseas care workers

Young male ethnic minority care worker assists an older man with a leg problem who is sitting on a sofa with crutches by his side
Reports of abusive behaviour towards ethnic minority care workers from strangers have increased since the summer. Photograph: sturti/Getty Images

They have travelled thousands of miles to care for the most vulnerable people in society. But care workers recruited overseas to fill much-needed roles are increasingly facing racist abuse in the UK, industry insiders have warned, as the country’s immigration debate becomes increasingly toxic.

Staff working with elderly and disabled service users have been advised to travel to work in racially mixed groups and carry panic alarms. The measures follow a surge in reports of “verbal abuse and spitting” from strangers since the summer, said Nadra Ahmed, the executive chair of the National Care Association (NCA), which represents about 5,000 providers.

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