Illegal working: publishing details of employers who don’t comply

Illegal working: publishing details of employers who don’t comply 

10 February 2012

From today, the UK Border Agency will publish quarterly reports detailing the penalties given to people or organisations who employ illegal workers.

Illegal working causes damaging social and economic problems for the UK. It undercuts businesses that operate within the law, undermines British workers, and exploits migrant workers. Employers who employ illegal workers will face robust action and may face a civil penalty of up to £10,000 for each illegal worker.

The government works with employers to ensure that they take their responsibility to avoid employing illegal workers seriously. All employers have a duty to check that all new employees are entitled to work in the UK and we publish guidance to help them do that.

We will publish quarterly reports that show:

• the number of civil penalties issued;
• the number of illegal workers found; and
• the value of the penalties broken down by geographical regions.

We will also publish a quarterly report naming employers who have:

• not paid or are not making regular payments for a penalty 28 days after they have exhausted their objection and/or appeal rights; or
• been served with a second or subsequent penalty once they have exhausted their objection and/or appeal rights regardless of whether any payment has been made.

Quarterly reports will consider all employers whose appeals rights were exhausted within the period reported on.

A penalty will be counted as a second or subsequent penalty if it was issued within 3 years of a previous penalty or warning letter.

The reports will provide a reference tool for the public as well as for corporate partners and other stakeholders.

We will continue to publish details of our operations to tackle illegal working and immigration abuse on a case-by-case basis.