Civil penalties for hiring illegal workers: the ever-expanding regime
23rd September 2025
On Tuesday, 23 September, Allan Briddock and Keelin McCarthy will discuss the civil penalty regime. These penalties have risen since April 2024 to a maximum of £60,000 per worker, potentially devastating small businesses. Recent Home Office figures also show a big rise in the imposition of civil penalties since 2024.
Keelin will set out the civil penalty regime, explaining how employers can establish a statutory excuse, and how to appeal if a civil penalty is maintained at the objection notice stage. She will examine common issues, including (i) whether a business has “employed” a person, (ii) burden of proof, (iii) transfer of employees under TUPE and (iv) whether the court has jurisdiction to lower a civil penalty.
Allan will focus on the proposals set out in the Border Security, Immigration and Asylum Bill 2025, currently going through Parliament, for a wide expansion of the civil penalties regime to catch new categories, including agency workers, workers in the gig economy, casual and temporary workers, individual sub-contractors and online matching services.
Please register here, do not use the form below: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/civil-penalties-for-hiring-illegal-workers-the-ever-expanding-regime-tickets-1652415070959?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl
Date: 23rd September 2025
Time: 15:00 - 16:30 pm
Venue: Online, via Zoom