A chain burger restaurant has been fined £20,000 for employing an illegal worker and is among three businesses in the county being prosecuted. 

The businesses, including Wimpy in Station Road, Portslade, were listed in the government's quarterly roundup of companies that have had penalties issued for the use of illegal workers.

The government's immigration enforcement team conducted a visit to the Portslade branch on July 12, 2022. 

The business owners have been fined £20,000 for employing one illegal worker, which is the maximum fine that can be imposed.

The data, which is updated every three months, shows that the businesses were each fined at least £10,000, with one being fined as much as £20,000 for breaking civil law.

The Home Office releases the data into the public record four times per year, and the latest data relates to the period of October to December 2022.

The fines are imposed for employing individuals who do not have the right to work in the UK.

The businesses were:

  • Wimpy, Station Road, Portslade (fined £20,000)
  • Hastings Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, Queens Road, Hastings (fined £10,000)
  • Mowgli Indian Bistro And Bar, Marina, Bexhill (fined £15,000)

The government says there can be "severe" penalties for employing individuals who do not have the right to work.

MOST READ:

The gov.uk website says: "You can be sent to jail for five years and pay an unlimited fine if you’re found guilty of employing someone who you knew or had ‘reasonable cause to believe’ did not have the right to work in the UK.

"This includes, for example, if you had any reason to believe that:

  • They did not have leave (permission) to enter or remain in the UK
  • Their leave had expired
  • They were not allowed to do certain types of work
  • Their papers were incorrect or false."

Companies can also be penalised if they employ someone who did not have the right to work and the business did not do the correct checks, or did not do them properly.

If this happens, the business might get a referral notice, which lets them know their case is being considered.

The civil penalty can be up to £20,000 per illegal worker.

Those found liable are sent a civil penalty notice and they have 28 days to respond.

The notice tells the business how to pay, what to do next, and how to object to the decision.

A spokeswoman for the Home Office said: “The government is tackling illegal immigration and the harm it causes by removing those with no right to be in the UK. We continue to work with law enforcement agencies to tackle illegal migration in all its forms. 

“Our Nationality and Borders Act will fix the broken system, making it fair to those in genuine need and firm on those who seek to abuse it.”