Arrests of illegal workers reach record highs amid immigration crackdown: ‘There is nowhere to hide’
Crackdown on illegal working leads to record number of arrests
- Enforcement actions against illegal working in the UK have reached record highs since 2019, with a significant surge in business visits and arrests.
- Recent data indicates 12,791 visits to businesses such as nail bars and takeaways, marking a 57 per cent increase from the previous year.
- Arrests for illegal working also saw a nearly 59 per cent rise, with 8,971 individuals apprehended in 2025, setting a new record.
- Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said that enforcement activity has surged to its highest level in British history to tackle illegal migrants in the black economy.
- New measures include £5 million funding for enforcement, the use of body-worn cameras, and tighter right-to-work checks, with increased penalties for employers failing to comply.