The UK’s Seasonal Worker Scheme (SWS) grants growers access to 43,000 six-month visas annually, but it has been fraught with challenges and controversies.
Introduced as a five-year plan in May by the Conservative government, the SWS was intended to stabilise the £5bn horticulture sector by ensuring a consistent labour supply. It was hailed as a solution to years of uncertainty for the industry.
“For the first time in many, many years the horticultural sector has had sufficient workers to pick the crops,” says Jan-Willem Naerebout, director of Agri-HR, one of the government-approved recruitment sponsors. “There shouldn’t actually be any farms at all in the UK that will experience a shortage of workers next year, so I think that’s a fantastic delivery of the scheme.”
However, the scheme has faced numerous setbacks, including revoked licences, ongoing legal disputes, and human rights concerns, leading to calls for increased wages—a proposal many growers warn could jeopardise both the scheme and the sector.
Adding to the challenges is uncertainty surrounding the scheme's longevity. The newly elected Labour government has yet to confirm the five-year commitment announced earlier by the Conservatives.
While Daniel Zeichner, the minister for food security and rural affairs, emphasised that “food security is national security” and promised support for growers, he also highlighted that the scheme’s extension to 2025 “gives growers and producers certainty” in the short term. This lack of clarity has prompted calls from growers for a rolling five-year plan to enable long-term investment.
“We’ve got a Labour government saying they want to grow the economy, they want us as businesses to invest and secure supply, and seasonal labour is the route to both of those objectives,” says Ali Capper, executive chair of British Apples & Pears. “But we need a scheme where there’s a long-term view.”
The SWS initially began as a pilot programme to address the labour shortages that arose post-Brexit. It was introduced alongside a £50m government investment aimed at advancing automation in horticulture. While automation may reduce the reliance on seasonal workers, Naerebout believes it “will never eliminate it.” The notion of creating a domestic labour force for fruit and vegetable harvesting is equally dismissed. “That’s a complete pipe dream,” he says.
Capper echoes this sentiment: “Across the globe, people that live in the most developed economies do not pick their own fruit & veg, full stop.”
Seasonal Worker Sponsors and Recruitment
Employers using the scheme must recruit through one of the government-approved sponsors. In 2024, there were seven such operators, each allocated 7,500 workers for horticulture and 1,000 for poultry. The list includes:
Agri-HR (Herefordshire): Recruits in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
Concordia UK (East Sussex): Recruits from various countries including Lithuania, Ukraine, and South Africa.
Fruitful Jobs (Herefordshire): Focuses on Eastern European and Central Asian countries but excludes regions like South Asia and Africa.
Hops Labour Solutions (Herefordshire): Covers countries such as Kenya, Moldova, and Uzbekistan.
Pro-Force (Kent): Operates in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan.
RE People Ltd (Gloucestershire): Recruitment details unspecified.
Ethero, a former scheme operator, had its licence revoked in August and is no longer active.
Growers have proposed extending visas to nine months to reduce recruitment cycles, improve productivity, and provide workers with longer earning periods. However, Naerebout argues the current six-month period is sufficient for most crops, given their short harvesting seasons.
Calls for Direct Recruitment
Nick Marston, chairman of British Berry Growers, has advocated for growers licensed by the Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) to recruit directly, claiming they have the necessary infrastructure to ensure proper worker welfare. While this could enhance visibility, others, such as Caroline Robinson of the Worker Support Centre Scotland (WSCS), caution that it might leave workers vulnerable, as they would be tied to their employer for sponsorship.
Concerns have also been raised about exploitative recruitment practices abroad and substandard working conditions in the UK. Defra’s survey reported that 91% of seasonal workers had a positive experience, but critics like Kate Roberts of Focus on Labour Exploitation (Flex) question the validity of the data, suggesting workers may fear retribution for negative feedback.
Robinson points to additional issues, including barriers to accessing healthcare and legal protections. “Currently, there’s no legal requirement for farms to meet specific employment standards,” she notes.
The debate continues, with stakeholders urging reforms to ensure the scheme addresses both labour shortages and worker welfare while supporting the long-term viability of the UK’s horticultural industry.
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