Luke Piper
@lukepiper.bsky.social
Solicitor. Head of Immigration at the Work Rights Centre. All things U.K. immigration law / policy mainly. Yorkshireman in Bristol.
Pinned
Luke Piper
@lukepiper.bsky.social
· May 11
BREAKING: “We will be closing the care worker visa for overseas recruitment” - Home Secretary Yvette Cooper
Don’t we have a desperate shortage of care workers?
Don’t we have a desperate shortage of care workers?
The debate around care visas in the political space boils down to people saying stuff like this - we desperately need people.
It's a good soundbite but...
A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.
Why?
It's a good soundbite but...
A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.
Why?
Reposted by Luke Piper
I am no ardent defender of the Home Office. But effective reform will not come if they are to face / rely on reports like this. It is not a credible piece of work. These glimpses into how the Home Office was examined by the previous administration are instructive.
A report Nick Timothy MP produced in March 23' (when he was not an MP) has featured heavily in the media and has been used by the Home.Sec. to attack the Home Office. I had the chance to read it... /1
October 27, 2025 at 4:31 PM
I am no ardent defender of the Home Office. But effective reform will not come if they are to face / rely on reports like this. It is not a credible piece of work. These glimpses into how the Home Office was examined by the previous administration are instructive.
Reposted by Luke Piper
Claims of modern slavery, forced labour and exploitation against Dyson will be tried in April 2027, the High Court has ruled.
Leigh Day partner Oliver Holland leads the claim.
www.leighday.co.uk/news/news/20...
Leigh Day partner Oliver Holland leads the claim.
www.leighday.co.uk/news/news/20...
High Court rules Dyson forced labour claims will be tried
A trial against Dyson companies of claims of modern slavery, forced labour and exploitation will take place in April 2027.
www.leighday.co.uk
January 14, 2026 at 4:10 PM
Claims of modern slavery, forced labour and exploitation against Dyson will be tried in April 2027, the High Court has ruled.
Leigh Day partner Oliver Holland leads the claim.
www.leighday.co.uk/news/news/20...
Leigh Day partner Oliver Holland leads the claim.
www.leighday.co.uk/news/news/20...
Reposted by Luke Piper
Getting ILR means the difference between being able to change jobs freely, and being tied to one employer with ultimate control over your life.
Doubling the wait for ILR means doubling the time in precarity. Here's how to speak out against the plans⬇️
www.workrightscentre.org/our-campaign...
Doubling the wait for ILR means doubling the time in precarity. Here's how to speak out against the plans⬇️
www.workrightscentre.org/our-campaign...
Oppose ILR changes | Work Rights Centre
www.workrightscentre.org
January 13, 2026 at 9:52 AM
Getting ILR means the difference between being able to change jobs freely, and being tied to one employer with ultimate control over your life.
Doubling the wait for ILR means doubling the time in precarity. Here's how to speak out against the plans⬇️
www.workrightscentre.org/our-campaign...
Doubling the wait for ILR means doubling the time in precarity. Here's how to speak out against the plans⬇️
www.workrightscentre.org/our-campaign...
The ghost of that Ovenden piece from the other week lives on it seems. Wes right to push back but it's interesting that this argument is still rumbling on.
“They complain about the civil service. They blame stakeholder capture.
“This excuses culture does the centre-left no favours. If we tell the public that we can’t make anything work, then why on earth would they vote to keep us in charge?"
“This excuses culture does the centre-left no favours. If we tell the public that we can’t make anything work, then why on earth would they vote to keep us in charge?"
January 13, 2026 at 9:05 AM
The ghost of that Ovenden piece from the other week lives on it seems. Wes right to push back but it's interesting that this argument is still rumbling on.
Reposted by Luke Piper
The immigration doom loop in full swing.
Chasing the xenophobes is a doomed strategy both economically *and* politically.
(1/3)
archive.ph/pyVLg
Chasing the xenophobes is a doomed strategy both economically *and* politically.
(1/3)
archive.ph/pyVLg
January 10, 2026 at 3:52 AM
The immigration doom loop in full swing.
Chasing the xenophobes is a doomed strategy both economically *and* politically.
(1/3)
archive.ph/pyVLg
Chasing the xenophobes is a doomed strategy both economically *and* politically.
(1/3)
archive.ph/pyVLg
Reposted by Luke Piper
British woman left stranded in Hungary after the Home Office refuse to let her bring 13-year-old niece to the UK.
The girl, who was abandoned by her parents, could now end up in state care, following the Home Office's decision
bylinetimes.com/2026/01/08/b...
The girl, who was abandoned by her parents, could now end up in state care, following the Home Office's decision
bylinetimes.com/2026/01/08/b...
British Woman Left 'Stranded' in Hungary After Home Office Refuse to Let Her Bring Niece to the UK
The 13-year-old girl, who she was given parental responsibility over after being abandoned by her parents, could be sent into state care because of the Home Office's decision
bylinetimes.com
January 8, 2026 at 10:34 AM
British woman left stranded in Hungary after the Home Office refuse to let her bring 13-year-old niece to the UK.
The girl, who was abandoned by her parents, could now end up in state care, following the Home Office's decision
bylinetimes.com/2026/01/08/b...
The girl, who was abandoned by her parents, could now end up in state care, following the Home Office's decision
bylinetimes.com/2026/01/08/b...
Reposted by Luke Piper
Strong stuff from the Chancellor 💪🏻 One slight prob: her gov's NRPF policy (which restricts access to MOST benefits not just UC & which they're planning to extend to those w/ ILR) does precisely this: discriminates between children based on where parents are from www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
January 8, 2026 at 10:24 AM
Strong stuff from the Chancellor 💪🏻 One slight prob: her gov's NRPF policy (which restricts access to MOST benefits not just UC & which they're planning to extend to those w/ ILR) does precisely this: discriminates between children based on where parents are from www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Luke Piper
The last time I checked a couple of years ago, the Home Office cost recovery target on visa processing was 202%, but in the latest annual report it was 241% - meaning that for every £100 it costs to administer the visa system, the department aims to raise £241 in fees.
January 8, 2026 at 10:16 AM
The last time I checked a couple of years ago, the Home Office cost recovery target on visa processing was 202%, but in the latest annual report it was 241% - meaning that for every £100 it costs to administer the visa system, the department aims to raise £241 in fees.
Reposted by Luke Piper
Home Secretary responds to the suggestion that she should deprive Alaa Abd el-Fattah of his British citizenship hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026...
January 6, 2026 at 10:11 AM
Home Secretary responds to the suggestion that she should deprive Alaa Abd el-Fattah of his British citizenship hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026...
The government closed overseas recruitment of care workers. It has increased skills and salary thresholds effectively closing off overseas recruitment in most jobs. Settlement will be out of reach to many thousands by increasing the qualifying period forcing them to leave.
January 6, 2026 at 8:29 AM
The government closed overseas recruitment of care workers. It has increased skills and salary thresholds effectively closing off overseas recruitment in most jobs. Settlement will be out of reach to many thousands by increasing the qualifying period forcing them to leave.
Reposted by Luke Piper
New Year Pop Quiz: Which of the 6 million + people with EU Settlement Scheme status has documentary confirmation that they are residing on the basis of the Withdrawal Agreement?
Astonishingly, the UK government's position appears to be: none of them. But wasn’t that the whole point of the EUSS?
Astonishingly, the UK government's position appears to be: none of them. But wasn’t that the whole point of the EUSS?
January 5, 2026 at 2:37 PM
New Year Pop Quiz: Which of the 6 million + people with EU Settlement Scheme status has documentary confirmation that they are residing on the basis of the Withdrawal Agreement?
Astonishingly, the UK government's position appears to be: none of them. But wasn’t that the whole point of the EUSS?
Astonishingly, the UK government's position appears to be: none of them. But wasn’t that the whole point of the EUSS?
The Home Office essentially closed off private life applications to many via changes to the 'suitability' requirements. on 30 December they updated their guidance to limit the scope of this rule for private life applications. This will be a relief for many but only if you spot it.
January 5, 2026 at 8:53 AM
The Home Office essentially closed off private life applications to many via changes to the 'suitability' requirements. on 30 December they updated their guidance to limit the scope of this rule for private life applications. This will be a relief for many but only if you spot it.
It's a wonderful thing to welcome in 2026 with everyone here going after that silly Ovenden piece. Seems to have gone down well somewhere though...
January 2, 2026 at 11:14 AM
It's a wonderful thing to welcome in 2026 with everyone here going after that silly Ovenden piece. Seems to have gone down well somewhere though...
Sobering stuff. Important context for 2026.
It's New Year, so time to look back and forward. These are 10 things I think we need to recognise in 2026. It’s a response to what I think are profoundly damaging mistaken assumptions I’ve heard and read from practitioners, journalists, and analysts in 2025. Warning: very long🧵
January 2, 2026 at 6:44 AM
Sobering stuff. Important context for 2026.
2025 has moved at lightning speed, and looking back, I am incredibly proud of what our team at the Work Rights Centre has achieved.
It’s been a year of growth and impact: /1
It’s been a year of growth and impact: /1
We take our impact very seriously. Here's a snapshot of what we achieved in 2025:
💥£173K recovered for people exploited by their employers
💥481 people supported to understand & secure their immigration status
💥8 Home Office decisions contested
Read more⬇️
www.workrightscentre.org/about-us/our...
💥£173K recovered for people exploited by their employers
💥481 people supported to understand & secure their immigration status
💥8 Home Office decisions contested
Read more⬇️
www.workrightscentre.org/about-us/our...
Our impact | Work Rights Centre
www.workrightscentre.org
December 24, 2025 at 10:08 AM
2025 has moved at lightning speed, and looking back, I am incredibly proud of what our team at the Work Rights Centre has achieved.
It’s been a year of growth and impact: /1
It’s been a year of growth and impact: /1
Reposted by Luke Piper
We take our impact very seriously. Here's a snapshot of what we achieved in 2025:
💥£173K recovered for people exploited by their employers
💥481 people supported to understand & secure their immigration status
💥8 Home Office decisions contested
Read more⬇️
www.workrightscentre.org/about-us/our...
💥£173K recovered for people exploited by their employers
💥481 people supported to understand & secure their immigration status
💥8 Home Office decisions contested
Read more⬇️
www.workrightscentre.org/about-us/our...
Our impact | Work Rights Centre
www.workrightscentre.org
December 22, 2025 at 12:40 PM
We take our impact very seriously. Here's a snapshot of what we achieved in 2025:
💥£173K recovered for people exploited by their employers
💥481 people supported to understand & secure their immigration status
💥8 Home Office decisions contested
Read more⬇️
www.workrightscentre.org/about-us/our...
💥£173K recovered for people exploited by their employers
💥481 people supported to understand & secure their immigration status
💥8 Home Office decisions contested
Read more⬇️
www.workrightscentre.org/about-us/our...
Reposted by Luke Piper
Well, that was quite a year!
Here's our roundup of the big migration moments of 2025, including 3 white papers, a big fall in net migration, and 10 gaps in the evidence base.
migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...
Here's our roundup of the big migration moments of 2025, including 3 white papers, a big fall in net migration, and 10 gaps in the evidence base.
migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...
2025: Review of the year - Migration Observatory
A round up of the big moments in UK migration policy and developments from the rollercoaster that was 2025.
migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk
December 22, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Well, that was quite a year!
Here's our roundup of the big migration moments of 2025, including 3 white papers, a big fall in net migration, and 10 gaps in the evidence base.
migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...
Here's our roundup of the big migration moments of 2025, including 3 white papers, a big fall in net migration, and 10 gaps in the evidence base.
migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/co...
Reposted by Luke Piper
New from FM: Court declares University’s failure to rescind its withdrawal of sponsorship as unlawful | Ben Maitland
Court declares University’s failure to rescind its withdrawal of sponsorship as unlawful - Free Movement
The High Court found that a University's failure to rescind its withdrawal of sponsorship, or at least inquire about the possibility of doing so with the Home
freemovement.org.uk
December 22, 2025 at 9:31 AM
New from FM: Court declares University’s failure to rescind its withdrawal of sponsorship as unlawful | Ben Maitland
Interesting. I suspect that this has a lot to do with graduate visas coming to an end. A bespoke visa scheme for prison staff to give 12 month extensions. Will be interesting to understand if this is long enough and what they hope to change in that time. news.sky.com/story/hundre...
Hundreds of foreign prison staff 'offered emergency extension to visa' to stop the prison system collapsing
Sources suggest Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood had previously been reluctant to make the exemption as part of her drive to reduce net migration.
news.sky.com
December 22, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Interesting. I suspect that this has a lot to do with graduate visas coming to an end. A bespoke visa scheme for prison staff to give 12 month extensions. Will be interesting to understand if this is long enough and what they hope to change in that time. news.sky.com/story/hundre...
Reposted by Luke Piper
Far more people in medium-skilled jobs who came in 2023 were sponsored by employers whose license has been revoked than in 2022. This is particularly bad for temporary shortage list jobs.
Excludes health and care, only includes jobs with 100+ visas for entry and employers sponsoring 6+ visas. (1/2)
Excludes health and care, only includes jobs with 100+ visas for entry and employers sponsoring 6+ visas. (1/2)
December 18, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Far more people in medium-skilled jobs who came in 2023 were sponsored by employers whose license has been revoked than in 2022. This is particularly bad for temporary shortage list jobs.
Excludes health and care, only includes jobs with 100+ visas for entry and employers sponsoring 6+ visas. (1/2)
Excludes health and care, only includes jobs with 100+ visas for entry and employers sponsoring 6+ visas. (1/2)
Reposted by Luke Piper
Even by my low expectations for Kemi Badenoch ‘violence against women and girls is something done by immigrants and nobody else’ has shocked me.
Dog-whistle and factually incorrect. Ladies, raise your hand if you were sexually assaulted by a boy at school? I’d wager this or a family member is most women’s first experience of sexual violence
December 18, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Even by my low expectations for Kemi Badenoch ‘violence against women and girls is something done by immigrants and nobody else’ has shocked me.
Reposted by Luke Piper
🔊We are launching a NEW CAMPAIGN to stand against the government's plans to put ILR even further out of reach for most migrants (except the wealthy!)
These plans are morally wrong and will damage our society and communities. Stand with us to oppose them✊
www.workrightscentre.org/our-campaign...
These plans are morally wrong and will damage our society and communities. Stand with us to oppose them✊
www.workrightscentre.org/our-campaign...
Oppose ILR changes | Work Rights Centre
www.workrightscentre.org
December 16, 2025 at 11:28 AM
🔊We are launching a NEW CAMPAIGN to stand against the government's plans to put ILR even further out of reach for most migrants (except the wealthy!)
These plans are morally wrong and will damage our society and communities. Stand with us to oppose them✊
www.workrightscentre.org/our-campaign...
These plans are morally wrong and will damage our society and communities. Stand with us to oppose them✊
www.workrightscentre.org/our-campaign...
This had me laughing a bit too much.
Following the controversy over the edited Trump speech, the BBC has been lambasted for its negative and biased portrayal of the leader of a prominent right-wing government…
An Evening with Private Eye 2025, out now on YouTube.
An Evening with Private Eye 2025, out now on YouTube.
December 18, 2025 at 12:51 PM
This had me laughing a bit too much.
They have a significant majority in the Commons that they secured with a manifesto to usher in the content of the Employment Rights Bill. And yet faced a v.difficult time getting it passed. This did not happen to the same degree under the Tories.
NEW - The Employment Rights bill has finally passed, after a tortured time in the Lords.
Christmas cheer for ministers and trade unions
Christmas cheer for ministers and trade unions
December 16, 2025 at 4:53 PM
They have a significant majority in the Commons that they secured with a manifesto to usher in the content of the Employment Rights Bill. And yet faced a v.difficult time getting it passed. This did not happen to the same degree under the Tories.
A number of workers sponsored under the Home Office's Skilled Worker scheme are now receiving positive decisions recognising them as victims of modern slavery.
The means of control has always included visa status and the sponsorship powers given to exploiters by the Home Office. /1
The means of control has always included visa status and the sponsorship powers given to exploiters by the Home Office. /1
December 16, 2025 at 1:57 PM
A number of workers sponsored under the Home Office's Skilled Worker scheme are now receiving positive decisions recognising them as victims of modern slavery.
The means of control has always included visa status and the sponsorship powers given to exploiters by the Home Office. /1
The means of control has always included visa status and the sponsorship powers given to exploiters by the Home Office. /1