Reform UK proposes 10% revenue fines for illegal hiring

The Reform UK party has announced a proposal to impose what it calls the world's toughest penalties on companies that employ people without legal permission to work in Britain, including fines of up to 10 percent of a firm's global revenue and potential prison sentences for chief executives and directors. The party's home affairs spokesman, Zia Yusuf, detailed the plan on August 6, 2026, dubbing it the "Deliveroo Law" after the food delivery sector.

Under the proposed policy, senior company officials would be held personally and criminally liable for illegal working, even in cases where they claim to have been unaware of an employee's immigration status. Yusuf stated that bosses could face imprisonment for up to five years, while their companies could be fined 10 percent of their worldwide turnover. He argued the measures are necessary to end what he termed "soft-touch Britain," asserting that illegal working undercuts British workers, weakens immigration enforcement, and benefits people-smuggling networks.

The announcement represents a significant escalation from existing UK law. Current regulations already allow for employers to face criminal punishment, including a prison...