‘Nationwide blitz’ to crack down on illegal workers in bid to stop small boat crossings

A “nationwide blitz” will target migrants working in the UK illegally, as part of efforts to deter small boat crossings from France. Sir Keir Starmer promised French President Emmanuel Macron that tougher action would be taken to crack down on a black market in jobs, after France complained that lax enforcement was acting as a “pull factor” causing chaos on both sides of the Channel.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said there had already been a “major surge in immigration enforcement activity” but officials have indicated that will be further increased in illegal working “hotspots”. A key focus will be on those employed casually as couriers or fast-food delivery drivers, after an Express investigation revealed men living in a migrant hotel making deliveries.

Ms Cooper said: “Since last summer, we have returned over 30,000 people with no right to be in the UK and a major surge in immigration enforcement activity, with a 51% increase in the number of illegal working arrests.”

The Home Office said authorities will soon undertake “a major nationwide blitz targeting illegal working hotspots, focusing on the gig economy and migrants working as delivery riders”.

Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have already committed to ramp up facial verification and fraud checks over the coming months after being called in for talks with ministers.

New laws will ensure firms using casual staff are obliged to ensure they have the right to work in the UK, in line with rules that already exist for people classed as employees. New biometric kits will be rolled out for Immigration Enforcement teams so they can do on-the-spot checks.

Speaking on Thursday during a joint press conference with the British Prime Minister, President Macron highlighted the problem of illegal working in the UK. He stressed that the migrants camping on the French coast in the hope of travelling to the UK were a concern for both countries.

Our investigation last month witnessed at least 10 different men leaving a taxpayer-funded migrant hotel before doing delivery work over two nights. They attached Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats-branded carriers to their bikes and attached mobile phones to their handlebars.

Asylum seekers cannot work in the UK for at least a year when waiting for claims to be processed, and even those given permits cannot work as delivery drivers under Home Office rules.