The Home Office is set to unveil a fresh crackdown on dodgy high street shops that hire illegal workers, with rogue bosses facing up to five years in prison or fines of tens of thousands of pounds. The £1.5 million-backed plan targets stores used as fronts for money laundering and serious organised crime, including barbershops, mini marts, vape shops, and sweet shops.
New Compliance Campaign
Ministers will announce an education and compliance campaign this week, focusing on specific towns before rolling out nationwide. Immigration officers will conduct in-person visits to educate businesses on the impact of illegal working and the consequences of failing to comply with Right to Work legislation.
Targeting Organised Crime
The crackdown aims to disrupt organised criminal gangs flooding British high streets with illicit goods, illegal drugs, and other serious crimes. Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris stated: “Too many crooked bosses are using high street stores as fronts for their organised crimes, with illegal workers frequently used to facilitate this. These bosses will face the full force of the law. We will close your business and send you to prison.”
Existing Penalties
Businesses hiring illegal workers already face hefty penalties, including fines of up to £60,000 per worker, closure notices, and potential prison sentences for bosses of up to five years. The Home Office emphasises that illegal working is not a “victimless crime,” as it fuels illegal migration, supports organised immigration crime, undercuts honest British businesses, and encourages the supply of illicit goods like illegal vapes and tobacco.
Intelligence Sharing
Under the new programme, intelligence will be shared with regulatory bodies, the police, and the National Crime Agency to ensure all illegal high street stores face the full force of the law. Additionally, the government is cracking down on companies hiring illegally in the gig economy by making them legally required to carry out checks to confirm anyone working in their name is eligible to work in the UK.
Further Measures
Asylum seekers found working illegally in the shadow economy will be stripped of their asylum payments and accommodation. These measures build on the government’s action to increase Immigration Enforcement activity to record levels, with an 83% rise in illegal working arrests and a 77% rise in raids since July 2024.
