A record 8,000 people have been arrested across the UK over the past year for working illegally; evidence of the government’s growing efforts to combat unlawful employment and reinforce border security.
UK’s Home Office revealed that Immigration Enforcement officers carried out 11,000 workplace raids between October 2024 and September 2025 under Operation Sterling — a £5 million initiative directed at targeting illegal working in sectors such as food delivery, beauty services, car washes and takeaway outlets.
The department said arrests rose by 63% compared with the previous year, while enforcement visits increased by 51%, marking the largest crackdown on illegal working since records began. More than 1,050 foreign nationals identified during these operations have since been removed from the UK.
Officials said the rise shows a clear effort to cut the economic incentives that attract people to enter or remain in the country unlawfully. Enforcement teams have focused on areas and industries where illegal work is most common.
Closing Loopholes in Employment Rules
The government is now extending Right to Work checks beyond traditional employee contracts to include gig economy, casual and subcontracted work. This change will make all employers responsible for confirming that staff have legal permission to work in the UK.
Currently, only businesses with formal employment contracts must verify immigration status. The revised legislation will close this gap and hold all types of employers accountable. Those who fail to complete the required checks could face fines of up to £60,000 per illegal worker, up to five years in prison, or business closure orders.
Home Secretary: “Illegal Working Will Not Be Tolerated”
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the surge in enforcement activity is part of the plan to remove the incentive for illegal migration.
“Illegal working creates an incentive for people attempting to arrive in this country illegally. No more,” she said.
“Those found to be illegally working in beauty salons, car washes and as delivery drivers will be arrested, detained and removed from this country. I will do whatever it takes to secure Britain’s borders.”
Mahmood said tougher enforcement and expanded checks were necessary to ensure fairness and integrity in the labour market.
Digital ID System and Industry Cooperation
Home Office informed that to strengthen compliance, the government will introduce a digital ID system by the end of the current Parliament. The new verification method will be mandatory for anyone seeking work and will provide a single, digital process for employers to check a person’s right to work.
A six-week consultation will gather feedback from businesses on implementing the new requirements. The department said the system will reduce the use of forged documents and help identify employers who fail to carry out proper checks.
Details further reveal that the government is also working with companies such as Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats, which have tightened ID verification on their platforms. A data-sharing agreement with these firms allows the Home Office to identify asylum seekers found working illegally.
