The government says 60 food-delivery riders found working illegally in the UK are now facing deportation following a nationwide Home Office operation.
The riders were among 171 people arrested during a seven-day enforcement blitz across towns, cities and villages in November, part of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s focus on unlawful employment in the gig-economy sector.
Border Security Minister Alex Norris said the action should serve as a clear warning that those working illegally will be arrested and removed.
He added that the government is tightening laws to curb illegal working in the delivery industry, including measures targeting identity sharing and fraudulent account use.
As part of the crackdown, the Home Office highlighted several cases, including two Chinese nationals arrested in Solihull, four riders from Bangladesh and India detained in Newham, east London, and three Indian nationals held in Norwich. Seven of the individuals were detained pending removal.
Authorities say illegal working has been fuelled by asylum seekers renting delivery accounts through social media, despite being banned from paid work during their first 12 months in the UK or until their asylum claims are approved.
To curb this, the Home Office has been sharing the locations of asylum accommodation with delivery companies so they can monitor potential hotspots. Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats say they have increased randomised facial-recognition checks to ensure riders match their registered identities.
The Home Office reported 8,000 arrests for illegal working last year, a 63% rise on the previous year and the new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill will expand right-to-work requirements to the gig economy.
Meanwhile, proposals to make volunteering compulsory for asylum seekers seeking permanent settlement have drawn criticism from more than 300 charities, who say the plan amounts to exploitation.
