Hemel care agency marks 10 years with a warning: “Reforms without funding threaten the care of our most vulnerable”
“Our staff have built lives here and grown close to the families they support in Hemel”
Doves Care Agency, recently named a National Finalist for the 2026 Homecare Awards, celebrated its 10th anniversary yesterday with a visit from David Taylor MP. However, the mood was one of "urgent advocacy" rather than just celebration.
Co-founders and sisters, Isabel and Ellie, used the milestone to present a formal executive briefing to the MP, highlighting a critical "funding cliff" that threatens the stability of the social care sector in Hertfordshire.
The "Funding Cliff" and the Local Hero Despite being the Best Homecare Provider in Hertfordshire 2025, Doves Care warned that the Government’s "Plan to Make Work Pay" is currently being undermined by a two-year funding gap. While new costs like Day-One Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and increased National Insurance hit in April 2026, the promised £500m Social Care Fund won't arrive until 2028.
“We are proud to be a Hemel success story, but we are currently bridging a gap that the system refuses to acknowledge,” says Ellie. “Local authorities fund ‘contact time’ only, ignoring the hours our carers spend traveling between the homes of our vulnerable residents. We are asking for the Government to fund the full cost of a carer’s hour.”
Staff Voice: The Human Cost of Policy Uncertainty In a moving moment during the event, a senior care professional stood before the MP to read a collective statement on behalf of the agency’s 20 international care professionals. The team raised alarms over proposed changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) rules, calling for "policy stability" to prevent a mass exodus of experienced staff.
“Our staff have built lives here and grown close to the families they support in Hemel,” says Ellie. “Moving the goalposts on their settlement rights retrospectively doesn’t just hurt them, it risks the safety and continuity of care for our clients.”
A Call for Action The agency is calling on the Government to:
Bridge the Funding Gap: Provide immediate support for the 2026 rise in NI and sick pay costs.
Commissioning Reform: Ensure the NHS and Local Authorities pay for travel and waiting time.
Protect the Workforce: Guarantee that immigration changes will not be applied retrospectively to those already working in the UK.