As the UK Covid-19 Inquiry enters its final phase, Module 10 will focus on the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable members of society, including key workers, those bereaved by the virus and individuals struggling with mental health challenges. Public hearings, scheduled from February 16th to March 5th, 2026, at Dorland House in London, represent a crucial opportunity to amplify voices often unheard during the crisis and to inform future pandemic preparedness.
The inquiry’s final module will delve into the experiences of those facing systemic inequalities, with particular attention paid to the challenges faced by migrants, individuals experiencing domestic abuse, and those with precarious immigration status. The Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) will represent these groups, presenting evidence of how existing policies exacerbated vulnerabilities during the pandemic.
Representing the Domestic Abuse (DA) Group and the Migrants’ Rights Consortium (MRC), PILC aims to highlight systemic failures that hindered equitable access to support and protection. The MRC, a coalition of nine organizations – Doctors of the World UK, the Independent Workers of Great Britain, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, JustRight Scotland, Kanlungan, Medact, Project 17, Together with Migrant Children, and United Voices of the World – brings a wealth of expertise on the unique hardships faced by migrant communities throughout the pandemic.
Disparities Faced by Migrant Communities
During the Covid-19 pandemic, migrants often encountered significant barriers to essential services, including welfare support, housing, sick pay, and healthcare. Many were compelled to continue working even when ill, lacking access to adequate medical care. Fear of NHS charges, concerns about data sharing with the Home Office, and the threat of immigration enforcement deterred many from seeking necessary treatment, despite public health warnings. This created a dangerous situation, putting both individuals and the wider community at risk.
Evidence presented in Module 4 of the inquiry revealed that ministers disregarded warnings from public health experts, including Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty, to ease restrictive “Hostile Environment” policies. These policies, designed to make life challenging for undocumented immigrants, inadvertently created barriers to healthcare access for a wider population. The ‘Everyone In’ initiative, intended to provide emergency housing, was too applied inconsistently, leaving many migrants without safe accommodation.
Andrea Martinez, director of Kanlungan, emphasized the disproportionate impact on the Filipino migrant community, many of whom operate in frontline health and social care roles. “The Filipino migrant community was disproportionately impacted by the pandemic due to many Filipino migrants’ work in the health and social care sector,” Martinez stated. “many people with precarious immigration status in our community were excluded from the very services that Filipinos work in because of immigration policies excluding them from healthcare and other support services. Kanlungan was at the frontlines, supporting our community when it had nowhere else to turn to. We hope to honour the memories of all those who died of Covid-19 through this Inquiry and demand the change needed so these tragedies aren’t repeated.”
Anna Miller, head of policy and advocacy at Doctors of the World UK, highlighted the long-standing issues that were exacerbated during the pandemic. “Over the last decade, our patients have faced fines and harassment from debt collection agencies and immigration enforcement teams simply for seeking essential medical care,” Miller explained. “During the pandemic, this became a full-blown crisis; fear of the NHS led many migrants to avoid life-saving Covid-19 treatments and vaccines. Here’s a unique opportunity to hear and learn from people directly impacted by these hostile environment policies. Their experiences reveal exactly how these measures undermined our pandemic response and put everyone’s safety at risk.”
Vulnerability of Children with Precarious Immigration Status
The impact extended to children, particularly those with parents facing precarious immigration status. Nick Watts, director of Together with Migrant Children, noted that these children faced unique vulnerabilities, including poor housing conditions, reliance on hotel accommodation, and financial hardship. “Poor quality housing, use of hotels for family accommodation and limited money meant children experienced further harm directly because of immigration policy,” Watts said. “This largely forgotten group of children are amongst our most vulnerable, and the Inquiry offers an opportunity to demand change so every child experiences an equal childhood and are not left at increased risk during another national crisis.”
Medact spokespersons emphasized that the pandemic amplified existing health inequities caused by barriers to healthcare access created by the “hostile environment.” They argue that dismantling these systemic barriers is crucial to safeguarding public health. Rose Bernstein, interim executive director at the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), stated, “The Covid-19 pandemic laid bare a hostile immigration system that treats migrants and undocumented people as completely exploitable and ultimately expendable. It exposed and deepened the inequalities migrants and undocumented people already face, as they were locked out of healthcare, and denied access to life saving welfare and safe housing, and left to face the pandemic alone. They were forced to put themselves in danger by continuing to work in unsafe conditions to retain the country going, and yet these essential workers were ignored as soon as the pandemic was over. The devastating and ongoing impact of Covid-19 on migrant communities was the predictable consequence of deliberate exclusionary policies that prioritise border control over human life.”
Those interested in learning more about Module 10 can identify further information on the UK Covid-19 Inquiry website. Public hearings will be held at Dorland House, 121 Westwood Terrace, London, W2 6BU, from February 16th to March 5th, 2026. Public gallery tickets are available via the inquiry’s website, and the hearings will also be streamed live on the UK Covid-19 Inquiry YouTube channel.
The conclusions drawn from Module 10 are expected to contribute significantly to the inquiry’s overall recommendations, shaping future pandemic preparedness strategies and potentially leading to policy changes aimed at addressing systemic inequalities. The inquiry’s findings will be closely watched by policymakers, healthcare professionals, and advocacy groups alike.
Disclaimer: This article provides informational content only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or legal advice.
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