The UK government has announced new rules that will triple fines for businesses and landlords who knowingly support illegal migrants. The Home Office believes that illegal employment and renting are significant factors that attract illegal migration.
Starting in 2024, businesses found to have repeatedly employed illegal migrants could face fines of up to £60,000 per breach. The civil penalty for employing illegal migrants will increase from £15,000 to £45,000 for the first offense, and repeat offenders will see fines triple from £20,000 to £60,000.
Similarly, landlords will face higher fines, rising from £80 per lodger and £1,000 per occupier for a first breach to up to £5,000 per lodger and £10,000 per occupier. Further breaches could result in penalties of up to £10,000 per lodger and £20,000 per occupier.
Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick stated that unscrupulous landlords and employers who enable illegal working and renting contribute to the business model of people smugglers. The government aims to deter dangerous channel crossings by small boats with these increased penalties.
The exact number of people living in the UK illegally is unknown. A 2020 study estimated that between 594,000-745,000 undocumented individuals reside in the country. Since 2018, over £74m has been raised through the issuance of 4,000 civil penalties to employers for employing undocumented workers.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has prioritized addressing the number of migrants making dangerous channel crossings. However, Labour’s shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper pointed out that penalties for employing illegal workers have actually decreased by two-thirds since 2016, along with a decrease in arrests.
The Liberal Democrats criticized the government’s announcement, calling it another ineffective move that would have no meaningful impact on the asylum system. The party’s Home Affairs spokesperson, Alistair Carmichael, argued that a bolder solution is needed.
Last year, over 45,000 people entered the UK through channel crossings, a significant increase from around 300 in 2018. Parliament recently approved a controversial bill that would block people removed from the UK from returning or seeking British citizenship in the future. The bill has drawn criticism from the United Nations, with human rights officials raising concerns about the potential risks the legislation poses to those in need of international protection.