The number of enforcement raids conducted on companies has increased by 50% compared to the previous year. Since 2018, a total of £74 million in fines has been issued against firms for employing illegal workers, totaling in around 4,000 fines. Landlords have also faced penalties, with 230 civil penalties amounting to £215,500.
One reason for the increase in fines is the concern among ministers that some companies factor in the current level of fines into their business models.
According to Mr. Jenrick, “Making it harder for illegal migrants to work and operate in the UK is crucial in deterring dangerous and unnecessary small boat crossings. Unscrupulous landlords and employers who allow illegal working and renting enable the business model of the evil people smugglers to continue.
He further emphasizes, “There is no excuse for not conducting the appropriate checks, and those found in breach will now face significantly tougher penalties.”
Ben Beadle, CEO of the National Residential Landlords Association, commented, “Landlords should not be expected to fulfill the role of border and immigration officers.
“While these higher fines may make landlords more cautious about verifying someone’s right to rent, they have the potential to make it more difficult for tenants who cannot easily prove their right to rent, including UK nationals without a passport.”
Tackling the Issue at Its Roots
By Robert Jenrick
We are actively targeting unscrupulous businesses that facilitate illegal migration.
In order to tackle the issue of small boat crossings, we must dismantle the business model of people smuggling gangs. This is why we passed the Illegal Migration Act, which mandates the Home Secretary to deport those who arrive here illegally from safe countries like France. It is the most stringent immigration legislation we have ever enacted, and we remain confident in our partnership with Rwanda as it undergoes legal challenges. In the meantime, we are taking all necessary steps to deter migrants from undertaking these illegal, dangerous, and unnecessary journeys.
We are announcing the most significant overhaul of penalties imposed on rogue employers and landlords who try to evade our immigration rules by hiring or renting to illegal migrants. This involves at least tripling the current fines, with employers who repeatedly offend facing a fine of £60,000 per worker for hiring illegally – an increase from £20,000. Landlords, on the other hand, will face fines of up to £10,000 per occupier for a first breach, up from £1,000.
Promising illegal migrants an easy path to work and live in the UK is one of the many lies that people smugglers tell to persuade them to undertake small boat crossings. By allowing illegal working and renting, the minority of unscrupulous landlords and employers are enabling the business model of people smugglers, thereby contributing to the harm caused by the small boats crisis in UK communities. It is only fitting that the magnitude of the fine matches the seriousness of the offense, which is why we are implementing such significant increases.
Illegal working and renting is not solely tied to the small boats crisis. It also undermines legitimate employers, deprives lawful job seekers of employment opportunities, and defrauds the public purse as illegal migrants do not pay taxes. Landlords who fail to conduct appropriate checks make it more challenging for hard-working renters with legal status to find a place to live.
As we impose stricter fines, we are also intensifying enforcement activities to reach more rogue businesses.
Implementing Tougher Penalties
This year, we established a cross-government taskforce to facilitate collaboration aimed at tackling illegal working. Enforcement visits have reached their highest level since 2019, with nearly a 50% increase compared to the previous year. In 2023 alone, we have already made more immigration enforcement arrests than in the whole of 2022.
Recently, Home Office immigration enforcement officers conducted 159 visits to construction sites, resulting in the arrest of 105 foreign nationals working illegally. With our new measures, these employers will face much harsher penalties that will make future offenses prohibitively expensive.
Let me be clear: the majority of businesses and landlords are honest, comply with the rules, and conduct immigration checks. However, for the small minority who blatantly flout the rules, there are absolutely no excuses.
The requirements for right to work and right to rent checks are not new, and they are simple for businesses, landlords, and letting agents to carry out. There are different methods to conduct these checks, which are not changing, including manual checks of original documentation and using the Home Office’s online checking system. The online check takes only five minutes. We have also implemented additional safeguards to ensure that individuals with legal status do not mistakenly become targets or face discrimination during crackdowns.
Sir Keir’s plan to relax restrictions on asylum seekers taking up paid work would encourage more migrants to undertake dangerous crossings and would undercut British workers. Meanwhile, his backbench MPs are calling for illegal arrivals to be able to work immediately upon arrival. This displays astonishing naivety from a party that lacks an understanding of the challenges we face and has no plan to resolve this crisis.
The British people can rest assured that this government is taking all necessary measures to protect the integrity of our immigration system and punish those who abuse it. We make no apologies for hitting these immigration offenders where it hurts the most: in their wallets.
Robert Jenrick is the Minister of State for Immigration
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