The government is aiming to crack down on asylum seekers who cross the English Channel in small boats by increasing fines for employers and landlords.
The action is being taken as home secretary Suella Braverman works to transfer the first group of asylum seekers from hotels to a barge in Portland, Dorset.
Boosting Fines
According to the administration, this is the biggest change to civil penalties in almost a decade. Employers will be subject to fines ranging from £15,000 for a first violation to £45,000 per illegal worker, while landlords will be subject to greater fines ranging from £80 per occupant and £1,000 per lodger for a first violation to £5,000 per occupant and £10,000 each lodger.
Beginning in 2024, the harsher penalties will be in effect. To discourage risky, pointless small boat crossings, immigration minister Robert Jenrick underlined the significance of making it more difficult for illegal immigrants to work and conduct business in the UK.
- Government increases fines for employers and landlords to deter asylum seekers.
- UK implements harsher penalties in 2024 to discourage illegal immigration.
- Tory campaign blames dishonest employers and landlords for persistent issues.
Data indicate that prime minister Rishi Sunak‘s pledge to “stop the boats” has shown only limited results, prompting the decision. 15.071 small boat crossings were documented this year, 14.4% fewer than last year, and over 45,000 crossings were reported for the entire 2022 period by Migration Watch UK.
According to Sunak, many lawyers are to blame for the continuous high number of crossings, since they assist persons in submitting fraudulent documentation to obtain asylum.
Despite Tory strategists’ admission that voters will likely blame the government if the issue is not resolved, the current campaign adds dishonest employers and landlords to the list of those being blamed for the problem’s persistence.
