The Government has released its latest quarterly report on illegal working penalties issued to employers across the UK, as part of its ongoing crackdown on illegal employment.
The list includes over 300 employers named and shamed for illegal working during the period from 1 October to 31 December 2025. A number of employers were fined more than £100,000; the largest penalty given to one employer was £315,000.
According to the data, illegal workers were encountered at organisations across various sectors from nail bars, car washes, barbers and takeaway shops to construction and care services.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Illegal working undermines honest employers, undercuts local wages, and fuels the criminal industry of immigration crime. This Government is determined to clamp down on that illegal activity in every sector where it occurs.”
Employers can be fined up to £45,000 for each illegal worker who does not have the right to work in the UK. For repeated breaches, the fine can be up to £60,000 per worker. Organisations may also commit a criminal offence which can result in an unlimited fine or a maximum 5 years’ imprisonment.
From 1 October 2026, the prevention of illegal working regime is expected to be expanded to organisations that hire individuals on zero-hour contracts and in the gig economy.
