Home Office figures released on 29 Oct 2025 show Immigration Enforcement conducted 11,000 workplace raids in the year to September—up 51 %—resulting in 8,000 arrests, the highest since records began. Sectors hit hardest include takeaways, beauty salons and delivery services. Interior Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the surge formed part of “Operation Sterling”, a £5 million initiative linking enforcement to labour-market integrity.
Simultaneously, the department launched a six-week consultation on widening mandatory right-to-work checks to cover gig-economy platforms, zero-hours contractors and labour-only subcontractors. Employers that knowingly hire unauthorised workers could face up to five years’ imprisonment under draft Border Security legislation. Major delivery apps Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats have already agreed to share data with the Home Office to curb account-sharing.
For HR and global-mobility managers, the message is clear: audit labour supply chains, update digital onboarding tools to capture biometric-residence-permit data, and prepare for head-office inspections. Businesses employing high volumes of seasonal or casual labour should budget for additional compliance resource once the new rules take effect in 2026.
Civil-liberties groups warn that aggressive raids risk fuelling anti-migrant sentiment, while business federations say they support fair enforcement but need practical guidance and reasonable implementation timelines.
Simultaneously, the department launched a six-week consultation on widening mandatory right-to-work checks to cover gig-economy platforms, zero-hours contractors and labour-only subcontractors. Employers that knowingly hire unauthorised workers could face up to five years’ imprisonment under draft Border Security legislation. Major delivery apps Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats have already agreed to share data with the Home Office to curb account-sharing.
For HR and global-mobility managers, the message is clear: audit labour supply chains, update digital onboarding tools to capture biometric-residence-permit data, and prepare for head-office inspections. Businesses employing high volumes of seasonal or casual labour should budget for additional compliance resource once the new rules take effect in 2026.
Civil-liberties groups warn that aggressive raids risk fuelling anti-migrant sentiment, while business federations say they support fair enforcement but need practical guidance and reasonable implementation timelines.
