penalties for anyone in the UK who sponsors illegal immigrants will triple
As part of her efforts to combat illegal immigration, UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has announced a significant increase in penalties for employers and landlords who engage in renting properties or employing individuals without legal immigration status.
The fines imposed on employers for hiring illegal workers will be more than tripled. The initial civil penalty, which was last raised in 2014, will be elevated from £15,000 to up to £45,000 for a first breach. Repeat violations will attract fines of up to £60,000, an increase from the previous £20,000.
Landlords, too, will face substantial increases in fines. The fines for renting to illegal occupants will escalate from £80 per lodger and £1,000 per occupier for the first offense, to up to £5,000 per lodger and £10,000 per occupier. In the case of repeat breaches, the fines will surge to as much as £10,000 per lodger and £20,000 per occupier, up from the earlier £500 and £3,000, respectively.
The UK Home Office announced these changes in a statement on Monday. Their data reveals that since the beginning of 2018, employers have received nearly 5,000 civil penalties amounting to £88.4 million, while landlords have faced more than 320 civil penalties, totaling £215,500 during the same period.
