What happens on site: hours, transfers, complaints, a doctor
For most people the season passes quietly. This page is not about most people — it is about the tail: what happens to those for whom it went wrong, and how often. All from the same Defra survey, 14,012 worker responses.
Hours
Average hours a week across the whole time worked.
94.0% confirmed they were paid for an average of at least 32 hours a week.
At the same time, 22.2% worked less than their contract specified.
Based on 12 642 responses
How long the season lasts
The visa runs for a maximum of six months. The time actually worked is usually shorter.
Based on 12 617 responses
Payslip and pay
98.0% said their payslip clearly explained how their pay was calculated.
96.2% said they were paid for all the work they did, including setting up and cleaning. Which means 3.8% said they were not.
Transfer to another farm
If a farm does not work out, you can ask to be transferred. Few ask, and it does not work out for everyone.
19.3% asked for a transfer.
Why they asked
- 38.5% not enough hours on their farm
- 22.2% to be near friends
- 16.9% another reason
- 13.6% poor treatment by supervisors or colleagues
- 8.8% better conditions on the new farm
Based on 2 414 responses
How it ended
Based on 2 415 responses
Why they were not transferred
- 39.3% no vacancy
- 16.7% no reply to the request
- 14.3% refused with no reason given
- 13.1% no vacancy at that particular farm
- 9.1% needed on their own farm
- 5.8% other
- 1.7% visa was running out
Based on 917 responses
Complaints
81.8% knew how to raise a complaint. Which means one in five did not.
12.9% had a grievance. About one in six of them filed a formal complaint — the rest stayed silent.
63.0% of the complaints filed were followed up.
If you fall ill or get injured
6.4% needed medical treatment during the season.
62.5% of them received it. That means more than a third of the people who needed treatment did not get it.
Based on 797 responses
This is the most worrying figure in the survey, and it is worth holding in mind before you fly. Find out in advance how a doctor is called at your farm and who helps you book.
Where the numbers come from
Defra survey for the 2024 season, 14 012 responses, answered by the workers themselves.
The denominators differ, and that matters. The transfer outcome was only asked of people who requested one, and treatment only of those who needed it. Counting those against all participants would inflate them several times over, so each block states how many people the share is based on.
Defra, Seasonal workers survey 2024 · Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.