Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of the Earned Settlement proposals on recruitment and retention rates in the NHS.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has regular discussions with my Rt Hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, on a range of subjects including immigration policy.

The Home Office consultation on Earned Settlement closed in February 2026 and responses are currently being analysed. This analysis will inform the development of the final Earned Settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement. Following analysis of the consultation responses, the necessary impact assessments, including those relating to the National Health Service, will be undertaken. Once the final model has been agreed, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.