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A record number of people have been arrested as part of a government crackdown on illegal working in the UK.
The Home Office has been targeting takeaways, delivery drivers, beauty salons and car washes in a bid to curb illegal working.
Arrests have reached the highest level since records began, while over 1,050 people who came to the UK illegally have been deported.
The government said it made 63% more arrests for illegal working this year than last.
Home Secretary Shabana Mamhood, said: ‘Illegal working creates an incentive for people attempting to arrive in this country illegally. No more.
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‘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.’
More than 8,000 illegal migrants suspected of illegal working were arrested during 11,000 raids by immigration enforcement officials between October 2024 and September 2025, the latest Home Office figures show.
The government has injected £5 million into immigration enforcement to target, arrest, detain, deport and return illegal workers employed in takeaways, in food delivery, beauty salons and car washes.
New law to close the gig economy loophole
Currently, only companies using traditional contracts have to verify employees’ immigration status, meaning gig economy workers might not face any checks.
The government is set to close the loophole by introducing a new law to expand the right to work checks to include gig, casual, subcontracted and temporary workers.
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has said politicians have been ‘squeamish’ about addressing illegal migration.
Faced with the rising popularity of Reform UK and a drop in recent polls, Sir Keir introduced the controversial digital ID designed to tackle illegal working.
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He has said the digital ID system would not be ‘voluntary’ for anyone who wants to find a job in the country.
Sir Keir said last week: ‘That’s because we’ve got too many people who are working illegally, and we’ve got to clamp down on it.’
The digital ID would allow employers to check people’s right to work.
It is understood that everyone will need to get one, but there will be no requirement for individuals to carry the ID or be asked to produce it. You can read more about the digital ID plan here.
Over the summer, the Home Office also targeted asylum seekers working in the gig economy as delivery couriers.
Asylum seekers are not usually allowed to work while they wait for their claim to be processed. While asylum seekers get some government support each week, many become destitute.
The government has confirmed a ‘one in, one out’ deal with France to deport illegal migrants.
It aims to deter illegal Channel crossings by sending the message that people will be sent back to France.
The Home Office said last month that 42 illegal migrants have been sent back.
However, one person who was deported in the first cohort has reportedly made the journey back and is thought to be living in the UK, according to the Guardian.
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