In a sweeping crackdown that’s sent shockwaves through the United Kingdom’s gig economy, more than 170 food delivery riders—many hailing from India, Bangladesh, and China—were arrested last month for working without proper documentation. The coordinated action, dubbed “Operation Equalise,” unfolded over seven days in November 2025, targeting delivery workers employed by major platforms such as Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats. The UK Home Office confirmed that dozens of those detained are now facing deportation, as the government intensifies efforts to tackle illegal migration and clamp down on employment law violations.
According to the Home Office, Immigration Enforcement teams fanned out across towns, villages, and bustling city centers, stopping riders on high streets to scrutinize their documents and work permits. On November 17, officers deployed to Newham in east London arrested four riders—Bangladeshi and Indian nationals—all of whom were detained for removal. Just days later, on November 25, three Indian nationals were apprehended in Norwich; two were slated for deportation while the third was placed under strict immigration bail.
These arrests are just the tip of the iceberg. UK government data reveals that in the year leading up to September 2025, enforcement actions reached record levels: more than 11,000 checks were conducted and 8,232 workers were arrested for illegal working—a staggering 63% increase over the previous year. Since July 2024 alone, nearly 50,000 people without the legal right to stay in the UK have been removed. The government also reported a 33% rise in arrests and seizures related to people smuggling within the past 12 months, highlighting the scale and urgency of the problem.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Border Security Minister Alex Norris have spearheaded these reforms, which form a central pillar of the government’s broader strategy to reduce migration figures and protect the integrity of the UK’s labor market. The new measures, Norris explained, are designed to send a clear signal to those flouting the law. “These results should send a clear message: if you are working illegally in this country, you will be arrested and removed,” Norris stated, as reported by Reuters and Metro. He added, “As well as delivering record levels of enforcement, we are tightening the law to clamp down on illegal working in the delivery sector to root out this criminality from our communities.”
The crackdown is underpinned by the recently enacted Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which received Royal Assent just weeks ago. This legislation extends right-to-work checks to include gig economy workers—an area previously seen as a grey zone—and introduces random facial recognition checks and hotspot tracking to curb account sharing and identify illegal workers. Employers found in violation now face some of the toughest penalties in UK history: up to five years in jail, fines of £60,000 per illegal worker, and the risk of business closure.
Food delivery platforms have come under particular scrutiny. Ministers have met with representatives from Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats to discuss how they are tackling illegal work on their platforms. The government has encouraged these companies to ramp up compliance, including the expansion of randomized facial recognition checks and the sharing of data on asylum hotel locations to better vet applicants. As Metro reports, officials warn that some high street shops are being used as fronts for money laundering and illegal working, undermining legitimate businesses and fueling criminal networks. Over the past year, the government claims to have recovered £300 million in criminal assets linked to such activities.
But while the crackdown marks a decisive shift in the UK’s approach to illegal working, it has not been without controversy. Critics, including some Members of Parliament and migrant rights advocates, warn that the new measures risk disproportionately targeting black, brown, and migrant workers—many of whom make up the backbone of the gig economy. Larbi Neron, a BAME rights officer at the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, told The Standard, “From our experience these stops are almost exclusively aimed at the black, brown, and migrant workers who make up the vast majority of the workforce, regardless of their immigration status.”
There are also concerns about the human cost behind the statistics. The government’s drive to increase removals and reduce incentives for illegal migration has led to stories of families being separated and individuals facing uncertain futures. The reforms extend beyond immediate enforcement: under the new asylum rules, successful applicants will be granted leave to remain in the UK only subject to regular review, and both indefinite leave and citizenship will require longer waits—although the process may be accelerated for those who integrate well, such as by learning English or volunteering in the community.
In the wake of these changes, delivery platforms are under mounting pressure to ensure robust compliance. Randomized facial recognition checks are now being used to deter account sharing, and companies are expected to cooperate closely with authorities to identify and remove illegal workers. The aim, as articulated by Home Secretary Mahmood, is to “bring down migration figures by reforming the asylum system and toughening citizenship rules.”
Yet the reforms have sparked anxiety among small business owners, who fear the burden of increased paperwork and the risk of inadvertently falling foul of the new laws. For legitimate businesses, the measures are seen as a safeguard against unfair competition from operators who skirt the law. But for those on the margins—migrants who have come to the UK in search of economic opportunity—the crackdown represents a stark new reality, where the cost of illegal working is higher than ever, and the line between employment and legal risk is sharply drawn.
The government points to Denmark as a model for its approach, where up to 95% of asylum seekers are reportedly turned away, arguing that tough enforcement is necessary to bring migration under control. However, some MPs and advocacy groups caution that such policies may impede Britain’s ability to fulfill its human rights obligations, especially when vulnerable individuals and families are involved.
As Operation Equalise and the broader suite of reforms take effect, the UK’s gig economy is entering uncharted territory. The crackdown is, at its core, a story of numbers, policy, and enforcement—but it is also a story about people navigating an increasingly complex and unforgiving system. The challenge ahead will be to balance the demands of security and economic integrity with the realities of human migration and the need for compassion. The ripple effects of these changes will be felt not just in government offices or corporate boardrooms, but on the city streets, in small shops, and among families striving for a better life.
