UK Immigration Enforcement teams have launched a major, sustained operation against illegal working in the food delivery sector, which is part of the government’s comprehensive Immigration Crackdown.
The landscape of work in the UK’s booming gig economy is undergoing a rigorous transformation. Following intensified enforcement action across the country, the UK Home Office has made it unequivocally clear that individuals found to be working without the necessary legal right will face immediate arrest, detention, and removal. This strategy, a critical component of the government’s sweeping reforms to tackle illegal migration, has specifically targeted the food delivery sector, leading to hundreds of arrests and the introduction of powerful new legislation that dramatically increases penalties for both illegal workers and non-compliant businesses.
This column provides a detailed analysis, based exclusively on official government announcements and data, of the intensified Immigration Crackdown to date, the legislative framework that has been put in place, and the severe implications for both individuals and companies operating in the delivery sector under the updated Immigration Policies for 2026.
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Record-Breaking Enforcement Actions Targeting Illegal Working
Official figures from the UK government demonstrate a significant increase in enforcement activity across all sectors. The number of arrests for illegal working has skyrocketed, marking the largest enforcement crackdown since records began, as detailed in a recent Home Office press release. The latest data reveals a surge in activity, with arrests for illegal working soaring by 63% and visits to suspected businesses increasing by 51% in the year leading up to September 2025, constituting the largest enforcement crackdown on illegal working since records began.
In the year leading up to September 2025, Immigration Enforcement teams carried out over 11,000 visits to businesses suspected of using illegal labour. Crucially, these visits led to more than 8,000 arrests of people working illegally, a staggering 63% rise compared to the previous 12 months, according to the latest official statistics on illegal working and enforcement activity from the government.
The food delivery sector, in particular, has been a key target. In just one recent seven-day operation, enforcement officers stopped riders in towns and cities across Britain, leading to 171 arrests. Of those, a significant number—60 individuals—were detained specifically for removal from the UK. The details of this operation, known as an “enforcement blitz” against illegal delivery riders, were published by the Home Office, underscoring the government’s zero-tolerance approach. Border Security Minister Alex Norris has stated that these results should send a clear message that those working illegally will be arrested and removed.
The actions taken against illegal delivery workers fall under the wider remit of UK police forces and associated government agencies. While the primary focus of this column is immigration enforcement, the operational data for all forces, including information on serious crime like homicide, can be found in the Murder Force area tables published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), demonstrating the scope of official data collection across law enforcement activities. Specific examples of this intensified enforcement action highlight the nationwide scale of the immigration operations. Earlier operations, such as “Operation Equalize” conducted in July 2025, saw 280 arrests made over a single week across the UK, as detailed in an official activity summary.
Tightening the Law: The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025
The legislative changes accompanying this enforcement drive are arguably the most impactful part of the government’s strategy moving forward into 2026. To close perceived loopholes in the system, the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill recently received Royal Assent, becoming the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025.
This new legislation introduced powerful laws to expand the requirement for right-to-work checks to include the entire gig economy. This legislative change directly targets the practice of illicit account sharing, where individuals with the right to work rent out their delivery platform accounts to those who do not have legal status in the UK. The government’s goal is clear: to ensure that the rules surrounding right-to-work are applied consistently across all types of employment.
This pivotal change shifts the responsibility of verification firmly onto the businesses and platforms themselves, requiring them to verify the work eligibility of everyone working for them, including delivery riders and casual workers. The government’s broader approach to managing entry and stay in the country is outlined in its comprehensive Immigration Policies, which are continually updated and governed by various Acts of Parliament and official regulations, covering everything from skilled worker visas to the upcoming Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme.
Severe Penalties for Rogue Employers in 2026
The new laws introduce significantly harsher penalties for businesses that fail to comply with their legal obligations to check a worker’s right-to-work in the UK. This is where the financial and legal risk for companies becomes existential. The strengthened enforcement regime means bosses who fail to conduct the necessary checks can now face:
- Fines: Penalties can reach up to £60,000 per illegal worker.
- Imprisonment: Individuals responsible can be jailed for up to five years.
- Business Closure: Authorities are empowered to close businesses found to be systematically abusing immigration laws.
This substantial increase in penalties serves as a significant deterrent aimed at protecting the integrity of the labour market. The government’s clear position, articulated through its Immigration Crackdown statements, is that illegal working is a key incentive for people attempting to arrive in the UK illegally, and that the government will do “whatever it takes to secure Britain’s borders” by tackling this issue head-on. The government’s policy is built on the principle of ensuring rules are respected and enforced, thereby removing the false promise of illegal employment often used by people-smuggling gangs.
Industry Response and Future Outlook
The government has also been collaborating directly with major industry partners, including food delivery firms such as Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats, to address the issue of illicit account sharing. These companies have agreed to implement enhanced security measures, including ramping up the use of randomised facial recognition checks and fraud detection technologies to ensure that only registered, verified account holders are completing deliveries. This strategy is essential for the future implementation of the UK’s Immigration Policies, which rely on secure verification methods.
This strategy to shrink the black economy and penalise rogue employers is a cornerstone of the government’s approach to Immigration Crackdown activities. The sustained, high-intensity enforcement approach, backed by new, stringent legislation and updated Immigration Policies, signals a long-term commitment by the government to eradicate illegal working. As the new laws take full effect, businesses in the gig economy must urgently review and update their compliance systems to meet the strict demands of the law, avoiding financial ruin or criminal prosecution. For individuals, the message is equally clear: working without legal status carries the immediate and high risk of arrest and removal, a policy set to be vigorously maintained throughout 2026.
