Hundreds arrested in week-long crackdown on suspected illegal working
Hundreds of arrests have been made as part of what the UK Government called a “week-long crackdown” on asylum seekers taking jobs for delivery firms.
A total of 1,780 people were stopped and spoken to at locations across the UK over suspected illegal working activity between July 20 and 27.
Some 280 were arrested as a result, in areas including Hillingdon in north-west London, Dumfries in Scotland, and Birmingham, the Home Office said.
Some 53 people are now having their asylum support reviewed, which the Government said could result in their support being suspended or withdrawn.
Illegal working hotspots
The Home Office described the operation as a “nationwide intensification week” targeting illegal working hotspots, with a focus on the gig economy and people working as delivery riders.
Immigration enforcement teams will receive £5 million from the £100 million in funding already announced for border security, aimed at increasing visits by officers in these areas over the coming months, it said.
Border security minister Dame Angela Eagle said: “Illegal working undermines our border security and we’re cracking down hard on it.
“That’s why we have intensified our enforcement activity right across the UK to crack down on those who think they can evade immigration and employment laws in the UK. ”
Penalty notices
As well as the arrests, 51 businesses including car washes and restaurants were issued with penalty notices that could see them handed hefty fines if they are found to have hired people without the right to work in the UK.
Eddy Montgomery, enforcement director at the Home Office, said officers were taking action “around the clock” against “those who think they can get away with working illegally”.
Asylum seekers in the UK are normally barred from work while their claim is being processed, though permission can be applied for after a year of waiting.
Officials had indicated there would be an increase in work to target areas of suspected activity, as ministers hope to tackle the “pull factors” attracting migrants to the UK.
It comes after the Government announced it would share information about asylum hotel locations with food delivery firms in a bid to disrupt such hotspots.
Status
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the Conservatives wanted to strip asylum seekers of their status and deport them, if they work illegally, and claimed “this story has only happened” because he “exposed what Labour refused to see”.
He described one hotel housing asylum seekers as a “black-market, courier hub in plain sight”, referring to food delivery riders he had seen allegedly operating out of the site without permission.
“Labour are now boasting about arrests, but we know they are too scared to actually deport anyone,” Mr Philp continued.
“People breaking the law are still being put up in hotels and handed benefits.
“It’s a racket and Labour are letting it run.”
Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have said they will ramp up facial verification and fraud checks over the coming months to prevent people working as riders without permission.
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Reform bleat, No 10 does. Starmer needs to tell farage to do one.
What about all the hobbles from UK people. Cash in hand. Mate with a van can shift that rubbish. I know a bricky that can do that wall for £50 have to be an evening…often the people employing such as well look the other way.
Maybe make it easy for asylum seekers to work and pay into the economy.
Some sense in that. You could go further and instead of rounding up people who are working illegally just enrol them into the N.I/PAYE system, fine the employer and crack on. Then start rounding up all those able bodied who are not working just content to draw benefits and take hobbles when it suits them. Some of these will claim to have hurt feelings just give them some tissues and get on with it.
There is nothing illegal about paying cash for a service or goods. The person earning that cash has to declare the income and there can be legitimate reasons for wanting payment in cash including avoiding bank or card fees.
Working making a contribution pay taxes. Stop arresting them.
We have a massive shortage of labour, especially in the NHS and care sector, yet we prevent young energetic new arrivals from working? Madness. Some see an “invasion” in small boats from France; I see boats full of gold bars, such is the economic potential of those desperate people.