To cannot believe this Telegraph headline

[BendyBusBuggy]

My first ever AIBU and apologies if this has done before, the headline is two days old, but seriously?? :

Women will have to give up work to look after parents unless EU care workers are given priority after Brexit

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/08/05/women-will-have-give-work-look-parents-unless-eu-care-workers here]]

I love the way Brexiters think they can shout "Project Fear!" and all problems arising from Brexit will magically evaporate with no rise in taxes, no reduction in living standards, and of course with that magic £350m pouring into the NHS to solve everything.

I haven't rt whole ft yet, but could this not be an opportunity to stop care work from being undervalued and underpaid? If care home owners etc are prevented from bringing in cheap EU staff and paying them a pittance, such that it becomes an occupation with staff shortages, perhaps they will be forced to pay living wages and recognise caring as the important role that keeps them all in profit?
Same with the hospitality industry. You hear all the time that Brits don't want this work - I think that's bullshit and it's more that they can't afford to take this work.

I disagree with importing nurses from abroad, esp from poorer countries. It's exploitative to take staff who have been trained at another (poorer) country's expense. The govt here should spend money on training British staff, thus reducing the number of people needing benefits too.

I haven't rt whole ft yet, but could this not be an opportunity to stop care work from being undervalued and underpaid?

That will never happen. For starters it will drive the price of care sky high and a lot of us Brits still hold dear to the idea of inheritance and are loathe to sell an elderly relative's assets to pay for their care, they think the government should pay for it.

The other issue is that it will always be undesirable work due to its nature - wiping arses, helping an adult feed himself, getting someone washed - particularly with someone with dementia who might also be violent and resistant.

Also not having a set rota in a 24-hour industry is always a recipe for undesirable work.

We've had the debate about care fees v inheritance before. People can't have it both ways, they either look after elderly relatives or pay for the care. It's ridiculous to think you can avoid one or the other.

Am first to admit that economics is not my strong point, but if the govt is that worried about how all this will work, could they not cap profits on private care homes or bring it under state control?
I had a job cleaning in a care home when I was younger - it was a decent one with nice rooms, okay food etc. There was only one qualified nurse in at any one time though, and it wasn't a cheap place to stay - I can't say where the money was going but it wasn't on my wages!

I haven't rt whole ft yet, but could this not be an opportunity to stop care work from being undervalued and underpaid?

I'd love it if that were the case but how would it be funded? The vast majority of people pay very little towards their care fees (particularly if they have care in their own homes as then the house isn't included) its mainly funded by council tax. Do to pay care agencies more, you would need to increase council tax massively or cut funding elsewhere.