On 17th November, PA Pool founder Katy Etherington was interviewed by The Guardian regarding the challenges faced by disabled people without EU workers.
Katy has been contributing to the discussions over the
lack of carers available for work, post Brexit, having contributed to another Guardian article recently and having been
interviewed on the subject by BBC Breakfast.
“Last year, we had 460 PAs join from Poland, and this year we’ve only had 36,” she says. “It’s a serious problem. Post-Brexit immigration restrictions have caused the drop-off and, unless they’ve already worked here, they can’t actually get a visa to work here as a PA any more."
Of the current team who help Katy live and work independently, three are from the EU and have settled status – but if they leave, the thought of having to replace them is, she says, “terrifying”.
"They assist with basic stuff, such as being able to get out of bed, get dressed, go to the loo, have something to eat and drink. And if you can’t find somebody to fill that role, what can you do? They provide such an important role – it’s life-enabling. They enable us to live, to work, not to just exist.”
You can read the article:
‘Carers enable us to live, not just exist’: a personal care employer on life without EU workers here.
You need to register with The Guardian to read the article in full but it is free to register.