Tulia Drop-In Project:
Legal Advice & Holistic Support for Migrant Carers
Empowering Migrant Carers with Dignity, Rights, and Hope
At Tulia, we believe that those who care for society deserve care themselves. Our Drop-In Projects provide urgent, practical, and emotional support to international Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) holders and their families, who are facing significant challenges with immigration, employment, and wellbeing in the UK.
Specialist legal and immigration advice.
Employment guidance, CV support, and job search coaching.
Emotional and mental health support.
Driving and mobility guidance.
Childcare, housing, and local integration information.
What are Tulia Drop-Ins?
Our drop-ins are free, in-person community sessions offering:
Delivered by Tulia’s legal team, volunteers, and local authority partners, these sessions provide a lifeline of safety, clarity, and connection, bridging the gap between statutory services and the lived realities of migrant carers.
Where We Deliver Drop-Ins
Between February 2024 – June 2025, Tulia has run drop-ins in:
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multiple sessions, in partnership with Coventry City Council & Warwickshire County Council
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Partnered with Royal Nature Training, Zim Women Association, United African Association.
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Including Leicester, Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Sheffield, and Peterborough.
Statistics & Reach
Duration:
Ongoing since February 2024
Total attendees recorded:
Over 545 migrant carers and dependants
Cities represented:
42+ cities nationwide
Gender split:
66–70% female, 30–34% male
Dependants & students attending:
~7% each in some sessions, seeking job support
Age data (where recorded):
Largest cohort aged 26–40, majority women
Why This Matters to Funders, Councils, and Sponsors
1.Migrant Carers Are a Vital Yet Overlooked Workforce
Carers on COS visas are crucial to sustaining the UK’s health and social care systems, especially in the wake of staffing shortages. Yet many face:
Exploitative zero-hour contracts
Insufficient or no working hours, despite full visa sponsorship
Revoked or suspended sponsor licences risking loss of status and forced return
Threats of dismissal for refusing unreasonable demands, such as long unpaid travel for short shifts
Without targeted support, these carers risk unemployment, destitution, and removal, despite their willingness and ability to serve local communities.
3. Councils Benefit Directly from Carer Stability
When migrant carers remain employed and secure
Exploitative zero-hour contracts
Insufficient or no working hours, despite full visa sponsorship
Revoked or suspended sponsor licences risking loss of status and forced return
Threats of dismissal for refusing unreasonable demands, such as long unpaid travel for short shifts
Without targeted support, these carers risk unemployment, destitution, and removal, despite their willingness and ability to serve local communities.
2. Statutory Services Do Not Fully Meet Their Complex Needs
Migrant carers often fall between service gaps:
Employment agencies may not advise on immigration complexities
Legal aid is often unavailable for employment-related immigration advice
Mental health support is underutilised, due to stigma, lack of culturally competent provision, or language barriers.
Tulia’s drop-ins provide holistic, integrated support, ensuring no issue is left unaddressed.
Funders and Sponsors Create Lasting, Measurable Impact
Your support enables:
Retention of trained carers within local workforces
Increased economic activity, as dependants are supported into work
Enhanced community wellbeing, reducing isolation and mental distress
Systemic change, by informing policy recommendations for ethical sponsorship and migrant rights
Key Challenges Identified in Drop-Ins
Employment insecurity:
37–45% reported insufficient hours (<37.5hrs contracted minimum)
23–24% on Skilled Worker Visas received no work from sponsors
12% faced revoked sponsor licences without notice from the Home Office
Transport & Driving Licence Barriers:
52–59% had no UK licence (mainly financial constraints)
42% had licences but no car, limiting job options
Only 6% had both licence and car, enabling stable employment
Emotional & Mental Health Distress:
Anxiety, depression, and social isolation are widespread, especially among new arrivals with no local networks.+
Emmigration & Sponsorship Barriers:
Expiring visas, suspended or cancelled licences, and sudden 60-day notices cause trauma and life disruption.
Childcare Challenges:
Female carers with multiple young children cannot work due to lack of affordable childcare
Housing Precarity
Some contemplate leaving the UK or moving to unfamiliar regions with no support networks, risking deeper isolation.
Our Impact So Far
Employment Progress
Participants secured sponsorships, conditional job offers, and advanced in visa processes.
Dependants prepared CVs and began job searches in care, warehouse, and logistics sectors.
Emotional & Practical Relief
Attendees reported feeling heard, valued, and supported, reducing anxiety and hopelessness.
Driving & Mobility Improvements
Many passed driving theory tests and booked practical tests, opening up job opportunities.
Community Empowerment
“Grateful to Tulia for the support.”
“Got RTW, very excited, will be coming to the hub.”
“I felt like I could breathe again after talking to you.”
Driving & Mobility Improvements
Many passed driving theory tests and booked practical tests, opening up job opportunities.
Our Strategic Recommendations
Expand Drop-In Provision
Additional weekly sessions and mobile outreach to rural areas where carers face total service deserts.
Embed Mental Health Support
Culturally competent group therapy and embedded counselling for carers and dependants.
Advocate for Ethical Sponsorship Practices
Collaborate with councils and care providers to end exploitative employment models and improve compliance.
Fund Driving Lessons & Childcare Support
Culturally competent group therapy and embedded counselling for carers and dependants.
Strengthen Multi-Sector Partnerships
Deepen collaboration with local authorities, NHS, care providers, and community organisations for joined-up, sustainable care.
For Migrants Considering Attending
If you are a COS holder, dependant, or migrant carer facing challenges with:
Employment or sponsorship
Visa or immigration concerns
Emotional wellbeing
Driving or transport barriers
Childcare or housing
Our drop-ins are for you. They are free, confidential, and welcoming. Come as you are. We will listen, support, and stand alongside you on your journey.
Partner with Us to Create Systemic Change
Tulia invites funders, councils, care providers, and sponsors to:
Invest in proven, impactful interventions
Ensure carers are retained within the workforce
Promote equity, dignity, and wellbeing for migrant communities
Locations: Coventry, Northampton, and expanding
Contact: 024 7527 8286
Website: www.tulia.org.uk
Email: info@tulia.org.uk