UK Government Steps Up Crackdown More Than 11,ooo Illegal Workers With Surge in Raids
The UK government has intensified its crackdown on illegal employment, with new data revealing more than 11,000 immigration raids on takeaways, beauty salons, and car washes between October 2024 and September 2025 — a 51% increase on the previous year. The surge in operations comes as ministers move to tighten right-to-work checks and penalise employers who fail to verify staff eligibility. A six-week consultation has been launched to expand these checks to include casual and subcontracted workers, closing loopholes that allow some employers to bypass current requirements. Under the proposed reforms, employers who hire illegal workers could face up to five years in prison or fines of £6,000 per illegal employee. Currently, right-to-work checks apply only to companies with formal employment contracts. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the government’s actions under “Operation Sterling” aim to deter illegal migration and exploitation in low-wage industries. “Illegal working creates an incentive for people attempting to arrive in this country illegally. No more. Those found to be illegally working in beauty salons, car washes, and as delivery drivers will be arrested, detained, and removed from this country,” she said. The government has also invested £5m into immigration enforcement to counter what officials describe as a “pull factor” created by lax employment oversight in the gig economy. The initiative follows reports of asylum seekers using rented delivery driver accounts to work illegally for companies such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat. Earlier this year, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp claimed to have uncovered “clear evidence of illegal working” during a surprise visit to an asylum hotel. The companies involved have since pledged to improve their monitoring systems, and in July, the Home Office reached an agreement with them to share data and identify misuse patterns. The government has also begun providing the locations of asylum hotels to delivery platforms to help track and prevent unauthorised employment. Officials say the partnership marks a significant step toward reducing abuse within the gig economy. Meanwhile, fresh figures show that more migrants have crossed the English Channel in 2025 than in the whole of 2024, with over 36,816 arrivals recorded so far this year — underscoring the mounting pressure on the UK’s border enforcement system.
