TAKEAWAY delivery drivers are being targeted in a UK Government crackdown on migrants working illegally.
The Home Office has made an agreement with the major food delivery firms to share information under its Plan for Change policy.
It will give the companies details of the location of hotels where asylum seekers are staying.
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The plan is to extend the existing rule that riders who share their accounts with migrants who do not have the right to work will be suspended.
The Home Office says the agreement will mean more people will be caught breaking the rules.
One Glasgow MSP hit out at the policy and said Labour was "worse than the Tories".
The government said efforts, including identity checks and right-to-work checks, have been successful and thousands have been removed from the tech platforms that enable them to work.
But it said the new rules will allow employers to go further to detect illegal working.
The plan includes increased facial verification checks and fraud detection tools, meaning only verified users can access their platforms.
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Yvette Cooper, Home Secretary, said: “Illegal working undermines honest business, exploits vulnerable individuals and fuels organised immigration crime.
“By enhancing our data sharing with delivery companies, we are taking decisive action to close loopholes and increase enforcement.
“The changes come alongside a 50% increase in raids and arrests for illegal working under the Plan for Change, greater security measures and tough new legislation.”
The big food delivery firms backed the initiative.
A Deliveroo spokesperson said: “Deliveroo has led the sector in introducing security measures to prevent the abuse of our platform and tackle the sophisticated criminals seeking new ways to exploit all delivery platforms’ systems."
A Just Eat spokesperson said: “We continue to invest significant resources to strengthen our systems against abuse by individuals and organised criminal groups seeking to evade right to work rules.”
An Uber Eats spokesperson said: “We have introduced a range of state-of-the-art detection tools to find and remove fraudulent accounts. We are constantly reviewing our tools and finding new ways to detect and take action on people who are trying to work illegally.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer promoted the initiative through social media.
He said: “We’re cracking down on migrants working illegally as food delivery riders. We'll share asylum accommodation locations with Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats so they can take action if riders are staying there. We will do what it takes to ensure fairness for British people.”
A Glasgow MSP responded, criticising the action.
James Dornan, Cathcart SNP MSP, said on X: “You’re worse than the Tories and I never thought I’d say that.
“There are plenty of villains in this country needing chased, but delivery drivers? FFS start to act like decent human beings for a change.”
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