British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on July 23 announced a new crackdown targeting migrants who are working illegally as food delivery riders.
He promised swift deportations and tighter collaboration with delivery platforms.
“We’re cracking down on migrants working illegally as food delivery riders,” Starmer said in a statement. “We’ll share asylum accommodation locations with Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats so they can take action if riders are staying there. We will do what it takes to ensure fairness for British people.”
The move comes amid growing pressure on the Labour government to curb illegal employment and ease strains on the UK’s asylum system.
Starmer said the measure is aimed at protecting lawful workers and reinforcing immigration rules.
Also Read: Iconic Mall on Thika Superhighway Set for Auction
Under the new policy, the government will share the addresses of asylum seeker accommodations with major food delivery companies.
Daily Express exposé on Delivery Riders
Delivery platforms will then be expected to identify riders registered at those addresses and remove individuals found to be working in violation of visa or asylum conditions.
This comes after a major Daily Express exposé. The investigation revealed that migrants arriving in the UK on small boats are working illegally as delivery drivers within hours of arriving here.
They further found that dozens of migrants staying in a taxpayer-funded London hotel were operating as delivery drivers for some of the biggest companies in the UK.
By law, migrants are unable to work under any circumstances if they have been in the country less than 12 months, and even those who have been here longer are not allowed to legally work as delivery drivers.
Share Data with Just Eat, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats
The Home Office will share more data, including the location of asylum hotels, with Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats, in a bid to crack down on illegal working.
Also Read: UK-Based Multinational Company Seals Ksh15.5 Billion Deal to Exit Kenya
It is hoped the new partnership will mean food delivery companies are “empowered to go further in detecting patterns of misuse, identify unauthorised account sharing and quickly suspend accounts”, the government said.
The government hopes it will lead to action against delivery riders who are caught sharing their accounts with people who do not have the right to work in the UK.
Asylum seekers in the UK are normally unable to work while their claim is being processed, though permission can be applied for after a year of waiting.
Delivery firms met with ministers last month to discuss the concerns of abuse in the sector.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.
