Two thirds of fines for firms hiring illegal migrants go unpaid

TWO thirds of fines issued to firms for hiring illegal immigrants go unpaid, official figures reveal.

Since 2009 the Home Office has written off, cancelled, reduced or simply failed to collect more than £120million in penalties.

It said an increase in penalties issued last year showed it was ‘working hard to tackle illegal working’. But critics said if fines weren’t collected they wouldn’t act as a deterrent to firms hiring illegal migrants.

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, who uncovered the statistics, told the Mail: ‘This is the irresponsible face of capitalism and businesses who do things like this give every other business a bad name.

‘But the Government should not be failing like this. They are at fault. They are not collecting the penalties that we are all owed.

‘Obviously fines change on appeal but the agencies are not up to the task and it’s ministers’ fault. They need to get a grip.’

According to the figures revealed in Parliament £179.1million in fines has been issued by immigration officials since 2009. But only £57.4million was col-

‘They are not doing their job’

lected, meaning two thirds – or £121.7million – has not been paid.

Immigration minister Robert Goodwill pointed out that penalties can be reduced or written off for a series of reasons, especially if firms co-operate with Home Office investigations or pay promptly. They can be ‘reduced, cancelled, increased or reissued at the objection or appeal stage’, he added.

Firms are required to keep copies of passports or visa documents showing their staff have the right to work in the UK. If they are found to be hiring undocumented migrants, or cannot produce the documents, they face being fined.

The 2016 Immigration Bill also grants powers to close down businesses that are found to be hiring illegal immigrants.

Last year, £46.2million of penalties were initially issued to firms for employing illegal immigrants, whereas only £12.5million was collected. Figures for the current financial year to September show £24million in fines have been imposed, with £8.5m collected.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘We are working hard to tackle illegal working across the country, and those who abuse the UK’s immigration system. We robustly pursue debts owed by employers of illegal immigrants.’