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Written question asked by Lee Anderson (Reform UK) on Friday, 29 May 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 2 June 2026. It was answered by Mike Tapp (Labour) on Monday, 8 June 2026 on behalf of the Home Office.

Delivery Services: Undocumented Workers

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her department has considered the potential merits of increasing the judicial penalty for illegal working in relation to riders for food delivery companies.

Answer

Clamping down on illegal working is a critical part of this government’s work to restore fairness, order and control within the immigration and asylum system. We have changed the law to ensure companies who utilise flexible worker models, as seen in the food delivery sector, are required to conduct right to work checks to prevent illegal working when they contract workers to provide services under their company name.

The existing penalty regime attached to the Right to Work Scheme will apply to these new arrangements and penalties will be enforced, set at £45,000 per illegal worker encountered for a first breach and up to £60,000 for repeat breaches. The penalties sit within this government’s programme of intensified enforcement activity which has seen a 63% increase in illegal working arrests.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
4551
Session
2026-27
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Administration of justice Delivery services Food Undocumented workers
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk