UK sees record high in illegal working raids, arrests
Between July 2024 and December 2025, raids increased by 77% and arrests rose by 83%, with over 17,400 inspections carried out at businesses suspected of employing people illegally.
Targeted sectors included nail bars, car washes, barbers, and takeaway shops, which authorities say can be used to “undercut honest workers and hide in plain sight.”
The crackdown led to more than 12,300 arrests nationwide. In Northern Ireland, enforcement also surged, with 187 raids in 2025 resulting in 234 arrests—a 76% increase in raids and a 169% rise in arrests compared with 2024.
The Home Office frames the crackdown as part of broader efforts to “restore order to the immigration system” and reduce incentives for illegal entry, including arrivals on small boats.
Enforcement on illegal working complements wider measures to remove migrants with no right to remain, with 50,000 individuals deported, a 23% rise under the current government.
The figures come shortly after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced sweeping reforms intended to make the UK immigration system less attractive to illegal migrants and accelerate deportations.
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