The government will launch a crackdown on illegal delivery workers after reports revealed asylum seekers are bypassing work bans to ride for apps like Deliveroo and Just Eat. Border Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle will meet major platforms next week to tighten rules.
Under UK law, asylum seekers cannot work for their first 12 months but an investigation found migrants renting courier accounts for £40/week on social media, earning up to £1,000 weekly. Downing Street called it a “racket” that “undercuts local wages,” vowing action.
Food delivery giants insist they enforce strict verification:
- Just Eat uses facial recognition and requires substitutes to pass right-to-work checks.
- Deliveroo offboards suspicious accounts and runs daily ID scans.
- Uber Eats says it removes fraudulent profiles with Home Office-backed tools.
Yet loopholes persist. The Sun uncovered forums where legal riders profit by sub-letting accounts. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp cited “clear evidence” of illegal work at asylum hotels, accusing Labour of failing to act.
Therefore, the crackdown on illegal delivery workers has sparked debate about corporate responsibility versus government enforcement. Critics argue food delivery platforms must invest in more robust verification tech, while others blame systemic gaps in immigration oversight. “These apps profit from flexible labor but can’t ignore exploitation hiding in plain sight,” said one industry analyst.
As ministers prepare for crunch talks, the outcome could reshape gig economy regulations potentially mandating real-time work status checks with Home Office systems. For now, the crackdown on illegal delivery workersspotlights how digital loopholes outpace bureaucracy, leaving taxpayers footing the bill for enforcement.
The crackdown on illegal delivery workers coincides with bleak asylum forecasts. Borders inspector David Bolt doubted Labour’s pledge to empty asylum hotels by 2029, citing housing shortages and appeal backlogs. He urged targeting migrant incentives—like illicit work—rather than just smugglers.
With 210 hotels still housing claimants, ministers face twin challenges: shutting down illegal gig economies while resolving a systemic migration crisis. The crackdown on illegal delivery workers tests whether tech and policy can outsmart exploitation.
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