The Home Office has announced a major enforcement initiative targeting asylum seekers suspected of working illegally while living in taxpayer-funded accommodation. Dubbed a “nationwide blitz,” the operation will focus on individuals involved in gig economy jobs, particularly those working as delivery riders for food takeaway platforms.
The initiative follows growing political pressure and recent media reports that some asylum seekers housed in hotels have been working illegally by using the accounts of legal delivery riders for companies such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat. Working is prohibited for asylum seekers while their claims are being processed.
In a statement released Friday, the Home Office said the new operation would involve intelligence-led enforcement activity across the UK, bringing together specialist teams to target those believed to be breaching immigration rules.
“Strategic, intel-driven activity will bring together officers across the UK and place an increased focus on migrants suspected of working illegally whilst in taxpayer funded accommodation or receiving financial support,” the statement read.
The announcement comes just days after shadow home secretary Chris Philp posted a video of his visit to an asylum hotel in London. The footage, which was widely shared on social media, showed a courtyard filled with food delivery bikes and branded bags — sparking fresh political debate around enforcement and border controls.
In response, food delivery giants Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat held an emergency meeting with ministers and pledged to tighten security by expanding the use of facial recognition checks for riders.
Under the new crackdown, asylum seekers caught working illegally may lose access to government accommodation and financial support. Businesses that knowingly hire individuals without the right to work could face severe penalties, including fines of up to £60,000 per worker, director disqualification, or even prison sentences.
The move reflects growing political sensitivity around asylum and migration, as the government faces pressure from opposition parties and rising support for Reform UK and the Conservatives on the issue. While efforts to reduce the backlog of asylum applications are ongoing, the number of migrants arriving in small boats across the English Channel continues to rise.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to raise the issue during talks with French President Emmanuel Macron next week. A possible “one in, one out” agreement is reportedly under discussion, under which the UK could return small boat arrivals to France in exchange for accepting asylum seekers with strong ties to the UK via official channels.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the new enforcement push is part of broader efforts to reduce incentives for illegal migration. “There is no single solution to the problem of illegal migration,” she said. “That’s why we’ve signed landmark agreements with international partners to dismantle criminal gangs and have made significant arrests of people smugglers.”
Philp criticised the government’s prior inaction, saying: “It shouldn’t take a visit by me to an asylum hotel to prompt this response. Illegal working by asylum seekers — many of whom entered the country unlawfully — is happening openly at hotels funded by taxpayers.”
The Home Office has reported an increase in arrests and enforcement related to illegal working in the past year, as the government seeks to demonstrate tougher immigration controls amid ongoing political and public scrutiny.
Written by: LIIE IMMIGRATION
