London – Businesses in the capital are being fined nearly £1 million a month for employing illegal workers, as Home Office enforcement efforts increase under the new government.
According to official data, 39 businesses in London were fined a combined £2.78 million in the final quarter of 2024 for breaching immigration laws. The stepped-up enforcement has seen a sharp rise in raids and arrests, with recent operations uncovering workers who have remained in the UK unlawfully for up to 16 years.
A convenience shop Strand news, in central London, where immigration officers discovered that the business was being operated entirely by staff with no legal right to work in the UK. During two separate visits in March, officers found individuals who had overstayed their visas and were paid in cash without paying taxes. One man, who identified himself as the shop manager, said he was earning £1,200 a month.
The Home Office also reported seizing illegal vapes during the raids, some with up to 8,000 puffs — far exceeding the UK legal limit of 600.
In documents submitted to Westminster Council, officials wrote: “These individuals were solely responsible for running the premises and admitted they had been recruited by the business owner without any right-to-work checks being carried out.”
Strand News was fined £40,000 and now faces the possible revocation of its alcohol licence.
Since July 5, 2024 — the day the new government took office — the Home Office has conducted 3,188 enforcement visits, a significant increase from 2,371 during the same period in 2023. Arrests rose from 1,836 to 2,299 over the same time.
Between July and September alone, nearly £1.9 million in fines were issued to close to 50 businesses across London.
Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer highlighted new digital measures to help curb illegal working.
“Since we came to power, we’ve ramped up enforcement raids on illegal working. Arrests have gone up by 50%, and we’re tightening the law on delivery drivers,” he said. “Digital ID will help us tackle illegal working, and we’re rolling out eVisas to create digital records of immigration status, enabling on-the-spot checks of employment eligibility.”
The government says the rollout of eVisas and digital immigration tracking will streamline enforcement and make it harder for undocumented individuals to remain undetected in the workforce.
Written by: LIIE IMMIGRATION
