UK Border Agency Has Successful Summer Clamp Down
Whilst the trumpets are being signalled for the next round of political initiatives, the Labour party have been issued with a new leader.
But, during the months of campaigning, the politicians have been keeping a quiet eye on the UK Border Agency during their summer clamp down of illegal workers.
Throughout the summer months, the UK Border Agency have been systematically raiding both business and residential properties across the country, including Cornwall, Leicestershire, Cumbria, Nottinghamshire and Shropshire.
And with a good hit rate, they have managed to arrest illegal workers who do not hold the correct documentation for working in the UK. With an average of between 2-3 workers at each business raid, the UKBA have managed to issue prosecution notices which have totalled close to £30,000 per business owner for not meeting the required standards expected.
The majority of cases that were reported either involved a fast food outlet, or a restaurant – as these types of places struggle to keep employee’s for more than a few months, and at extremely concerning pay rates.
One particular case which was unearthed by the UKBA found that one employer was giving his illegal workers only £15 per day, plus food and accommodation, bringing the total earning on average of £125 per week for around 85 hours – or just under £1.50 per hour.
But, now that these outlets have been found guilty once, the agency then keeps a close eye on them for the following 12 months to make sure they don’t follow the same path again.
And now that they have finished the purge on this style of business, they will continue into the winter with more raids on ‘Hand Car Wash’ businesses which set up at either shopper car parks in town centres, and petrol forecourts that have closed and gone out of business.
Statistics show that there is between 2 and 3 of these outlets in any town, which obviously should keep them busy for a long time to come.
