Illegal working raids reach highest level in UK history

Illegal working arrests and raids have reached the highest level in British history thanks to relentless activity by the Home Office's Immigration Enforcement teams.

Latest figures reveal the number of raids have soared by 77% in the UK since the government came into power, leading to an 83% rise in arrests (July 2024 to end of December 2025).

Over 17,400 raids were made to dodgy businesses - such as nail bars, car washes, barbers and takeaway shops - targeting those attempting to undercut honest workers and hide in plain sight.

The major uplift, which led to more than 12,300 arrests, was made possible by a £5 million funding boost last year for Immigration Enforcement, to target and pursue illegal working criminality.

The crackdown on illegal working builds on this government's work to restore order to the immigration system and end the lure of illegal working that gangs use to sell spaces on small boats.

It sits on top of government's work to remove and deport 50,000 illegal migrants - a 23% increase under this government.

The crackdown on illegal working also supports the Prime Minister's Pride in Place programme, to revive high streets and restore local neighbourhoods across the UK with a landmark £5 billion funding.

Communities will gain new powers to seize boarded-up shops, block nuisance businesses, and buy beloved local assets before they close - restoring pride and unity to every corner of the country.

Today's figures come after the Home Secretary set out sweeping reforms to the immigration system - making it less attractive for illegal migrants to come to the UK and easier to deport and remove those with no right to be here.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:

There is no place for illegal working in our communities.

That is why we have surged enforcement activity to the highest level in British history so illegal migrants in the black economy have nowhere to hide.

I will stop at nothing to restore order and control to our borders.

The recent drive has seen illegal working activity surge in every region of the UK, with London, the West Midlands and the South West leading the way for results in 2025.

In London alone, over 2,100 arrests were made last year, a 47% rise compared to 2024. Meanwhile, more than 1,100 arrests were made in both the West Midlands and South West resulting in a 76% and 91% rise respectively.

Officers visited a range of sectors in every corner of the country.

• On 25 November, officers visited a warehouse in Shoreham-by-Sea and made 13 illegal working arrests. As a result, 11 individuals of Brazilian and Romanian nationality were detained for removal from the UK.
• On 2 December, Mumbai Kitchen in Tiverton had its alcohol licence removed due to evidence of illegal working. The business owes £70,000 in civil penalties and is subject to a compliance order which will see officers carry out bi-monthly checks to ensure no illegal workers are continuing to operate at the site.
• On 11 December, officers, supported by Surrey Police and the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit, conducted a visit to a market held at Kempton Park racecourse resulting in eleven illegal working arrests.
• On 16 December, a major visit to a construction site in Swindon with Immigration Enforcement and Wiltshire Police led to 30 arrests of Indian and Albanian men. Nearly all were detained for removal from the UK, with five released on strict immigration bail.

Eddy Montgomery, Director of the Home Office's Immigration, Compliance and Enforcement teams, said:

I am hugely proud of my teams for their unwavering efforts in tackling illegal working right across the UK.

While this is a great achievement, our activity won't stop here - we will continue to bear down on this criminality in our towns, cities and villages to ensure there is no hiding place from immigration laws.

The new figures come as Immigration Enforcement officers across the UK are now equipped with body-worn video technology. Following the start of the launch in September last year, all teams are now benefitting from this capability which will help bolster arrests and prosecutions further.

And through the new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, the government is expanding right to work checks, so they cover the gig, casual, subcontracted and temporary worker economy, ensuring there is no hiding place for illegal workers to flout the rules.

On top of this, the Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce is bringing together law enforcement and government partners, including the National Crime Agency, National Police Chiefs' Council, Border Security Command and Immigration Enforcement, to use every available tool to identify, disrupt and dismantle criminal smuggling gangs operating in the UK.

Over the last 12 months, there has been a 33% surge in disruptions related to migrant smuggling - with nearly 4,000 disruptions since July 2024 - and a landmark deal with France means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back.

To further ensure people can only work in the UK if they have permission, the government announced last year it will be introducing digital ID, which will be mandatory to prove someone's right to work by the end of Parliament.

This will create a simpler, more consistent way for employers to check someone's eligibility to work. The move will make it harder for illegal migrants to find work and allow the government to identify rogue business owners who are failing to conduct checks.

This work combined forms part of the government's laser focus to secure Britain's borders and end the false promise of work used to sell spaces on dangerous small boats.