SynopsisUK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is considering exempting care workers already in the country from tougher indefinite leave to remain rules as part of wider plans to reform social care. The move aims to ease staffing shortages while the government accelerates work on a National Care Service and a review of the sector.AgenciesUK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is considering exempting hundreds of thousands of care workers from planned tougher immigration settlement rules as part of efforts to address staffing shortages in the social care sector. According to a report by The Guardian, the proposal is being examined alongside plans to accelerate reforms aimed at creating a National Care Service before the next general election.Burnham is expected to outline his commitment to overhauling social care in a speech next week.According to people familiar with the plans, the government is considering exempting care workers already in the UK from changes that would make it harder to obtain indefinite leave to remain (ILR), while applying the tougher rules to new arrivals, The Guardian report said. The proposal is expected to be considered later this year after the Home Office reviews responses to a public consultation."Andy is determined to do something about the social care system, and quickly. This is highly personal for him, and he will talk about why he wants to push some of it through before the election, even if that comes at a political price," one person briefed on the discussions said.Also Read|UK sees significant fall in work visas due to stricter immigration reformsBurnham has made social care reform one of his main priorities and has linked it to his family's experience. His father, Roy, has Alzheimer's disease."I think it's about being prepared to grasp the nettle. I've got personal experience of the system. My dad has Alzheimer's, and you see what the staff have to put up with. It's not their fault. The system's broken," Burnham said, earlier this week."You can't leave social care like this. And this is part of my criticism of Westminster. It has flinched over the years from these big decisions," he added.The government is also exploring short-term measures to ease pressure on the sector. These could include increasing funding for the £9 billion Better Care Fund, which supports social care services that help reduce pressure on the National Health Service (NHS). One option under consideration is expanding free short-term care for patients leaving hospital to reduce repeat admissions.Also Read| UK's migration crackdown risks care home staffing crunchThe proposed immigration exemption comes as social care providers warn that tougher settlement rules could make it harder to recruit and retain overseas staff.The Home Office has issued around 200,000 health and care worker visas over the past five years, with additional visas granted to dependants. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has said the government will consider exemptions to the new ILR rules.Burnham is also expected to leave open the possibility of raising additional taxes to fund long-term social care reform. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)...moreElevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea.Subscribe Now