Illegal migrants are increasingly taking up jobs in Britain’s informal economy, official data shows, with many finding work as barbers, delivery drivers and nail technicians. The trend has emerged alongside a record number of enforcement actions and arrests over the past year, prompting renewed debate over immigration policy and labour market pressures.
Figures published in early February 2026 show that more than 9,000 people suspected of being in the UK illegally were arrested last year as part of heightened immigration enforcement activity. This represents the highest annual total in recent memory and coincides with a noticeable shift in the types of jobs that undocumented migrants are reported to be filling.
Work in the Informal Sector
Because illegal migrants are barred from formal employment under UK law, many end up working in sectors where enforcement is harder and cash-in-hand pay is common. Barbershops, beauty salons and gig economy delivery services have been flagged by officials and industry sources as areas where undocumented workers are particularly prevalent.
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Delivery driving – often for well-known app-based food and parcel services – has proved especially attractive. In some urban areas, investigators found that groups of migrant workers were using informal networks to secure “contracts” with restaurants or small businesses, and then completing delivery work without formal documentation. Earnings in these roles can reach up to £500 a week, according to industry estimates, making them a relatively accessible income source despite legal risks.
Similarly, the hair and beauty sector has seen a surge in workers without official right to work, particularly in roles such as barbering and nail technician work. These jobs often operate outside strict payroll systems, making them harder for enforcement bodies to regulate and easier for workers to slip into.
Alongside these employment trends, the UK’s immigration enforcement agencies carried out an unprecedented number of raids and arrests in the last year. More than 9,000 arrests were recorded, part of a concerted effort to crack down on illegal work and overstaying. Enforcement operations focused on workplaces and sites where officials believed undocumented workers were being employed.
Officials have pointed to the enforcement figures as evidence that the government is taking illegal migration seriously. Home Office sources say the increased numbers reflect both better intelligence and more targeted operations. However, critics argue that raids and arrests alone will not solve the broader challenges of undocumented migration and its links to labour market demand.
Policy and Public Debate
The trend has sparked debate across political lines. Supporters of tighter immigration controls say the figures underscore the need for stricter border security and enforcement of existing work eligibility rules. They argue that illegal workers undercut law-abiding businesses and create unfair competition in low-wage sectors.
Opponents of harsher measures say that migrants fill labour shortages in sectors where local labour is scarce or unwilling to take jobs. They also warn that heavy-handed enforcement can drive workers underground, making them more vulnerable to exploitation and abuses such as wage theft, unsafe working conditions and lack of basic protections.
Economic Pressures on Employers
Some business owners in affected sectors acknowledge they have hired workers without full checks, often citing difficulties in recruiting staff. Barbershop owners and small salon managers told reporters that when they cannot find local workers willing to take up shifts, they resort to hiring whoever is available. Critics say this highlights structural issues in the UK labour market that are not addressed by enforcement alone.
As the debate continues, policymakers are under pressure to balance enforcement with strategies that address root causes, including economic incentives that draw undocumented migrants into the UK and labour shortages that make certain sectors reliant on unofficial workforces. Whether future policy will shift in response to these figures remains to be seen, but the latest data clearly shows that the issue of illegal work in Britain’s economy is both significant and complex.
