Sussex businesses fined thousands for having illegal workers

Figures released by the Home Office show it has fined some of the worst offenders for hiring staff who have no right to work in the country.

Immigration enforcement targeted three fast food takeaway restaurants, a corner shop and barber shop in Sussex after discovering they employed staff illegally.

Read more: Illegal worker in apron and chopping food with 'I am a chef' note 'was not staff'

To work in the UK, immigrants must obtain permission from the government - typically through a visa or right to work certificate. Those claiming asylum are generally not allowed to be employed while their claim is being processed.

Takeaways Flame N Grill, in Lancing and RFC Chicken and Ribs in East Grinstead received the biggest fines - £30,000 each - for employing illegal workers.

Also on the list was butchers Karaca Meat, based in a unit in the Beeching Park Industrial Estate, Bexhill. Its owners received a £20,000 fine from Home Office officials.

The data, released every three months, only covers fines issued between January 1 and March 31 of this year.

It comes just days after a Home Office crackdown on illegal workers resulted in 85 illegal workers being detained.

Flame N Grill in Lancing (Image: Google)

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "In many cases, illegal workers live in squalid conditions on site, earn far below the UK national minimum wage, work longer hours than legally allowed and may have entered the UK illegally, overstayed their visas or arrived under visitor conditions. 

"The fact they are paid so little also allows their employers to undercut honest competitors who follow the law and these businesses often do not pay their fair share in taxes to contribute to the economy."

The Dirty Razor Barbershop in Chichester was slapped with a £15,000 penalty.

Read more: Donatello may lose licence and face £120k fine after illegal workers found

Burgercity in Crawley had to pay £10,000 along with the Best-One convenience store in Terminus Road, Eastbourne.

The maximum civil penalty for employing illegal workers is £45,000 per worker for a first offence and £60,000 per worker for repeat violations. 

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:  "It is completely wrong that dodgy employers can work hand in glove with the smuggling gangs who risk people’s lives to bring them here illegally and push them into off-the-books employment. 

"These workers are sold complete lies by the gangs before being made to live and work in appalling conditions for a pittance. We are determined to put a stop to this."