Five businesses and one individual across Croydon and Thornton Heath have been fined a combined total of £300,000 for employing workers without the legal right to work in the UK. The penalties, part of a government crackdown on illegal working, were announced by the Home Office, which publishes details of such fines as a deterrent to other employers.
Details of the Fines
The largest penalty on the local list was £80,000, handed to Hamed Shahabuddin, associated with Pitches 61, 62 and 63 at Surrey Street Market. Burger London Ltd, listed at 46 Nova Road, was fined £45,000. Green Bistro Ltd, based at Coombe Wood in Conduit Lane, received a £55,000 penalty.
Ayana Investments Ltd, associated with Sam’s Chicken at 48 High Street, was fined £40,000. MS Darbar Hyderabadi Ltd, linked to M.S Darbar Hyderabadi at 106 Bensham Lane in Thornton Heath, also received a £40,000 fine. Collectively, these five businesses and one individual faced penalties totalling £300,000.
Government Crackdown on Illegal Working
The fines are part of the government’s wider effort to tackle illegal working and hold employers accountable for failing to verify their staff’s right to work. Employers can face civil penalties of up to £60,000 for each worker found to be working illegally if they have not carried out the correct right-to-work checks.
More severe consequences apply to those who knowingly hire someone without the legal right to work, or have “reasonable cause to believe” they are doing so. This includes situations where an employer believes a worker lacks permission to enter or remain in the UK, their permission has expired, they are not allowed to do certain types of work, or their documents are incorrect or false.
Consequences and Avoidance
Employers found guilty of knowingly employing someone illegally can face up to five years in prison and an unlimited fine. However, employers can avoid a civil penalty if they can demonstrate they carried out the correct right-to-work checks. Immigration Enforcement can also publicly name businesses found liable for penalties as a warning to other employers.
The Home Office continues to publish details of illegal working penalties as part of its efforts to crack down on businesses employing people without the right to work in the UK.
