Rules · UK-EMP-021
Civil penalty up to £60,000 per illegal worker
The maximum civil penalty is £60,000 for each illegal worker. Under the Home Office code of practice of 1 October 2026 the starting point is £45,000 per worker for a first breach and £60,000 per worker for a repeat breach within three years. £5,000 per worker comes off for reporting a suspected illegal worker and getting a reference number before the Home Office identifies them, and a further £5,000 for active co-operation.
for “£20,000” substitute “£60,000”
- Rule ID
- UK-EMP-021
- Title
- Civil penalty up to £60,000 per illegal worker
- Description
- The maximum civil penalty is £60,000 for each illegal worker. Under the Home Office code of practice of 1 October 2026 the starting point is £45,000 per worker for a first breach and £60,000 per worker for a repeat breach within three years. £5,000 per worker comes off for reporting a suspected illegal worker and getting a reference number before the Home Office identifies them, and a further £5,000 for active co-operation.
- Value
- Up to £60,000 per illegal worker (starting points £45,000 first breach, £60,000 repeat within 3 years)
- Applies to
- Any employer found to have employed an illegal worker without a statutory excuse. Knowingly employing an illegal worker is also a criminal offence.
- Jurisdiction
- United Kingdom
- Effective date
- 13 February 2024
- Last verified
- 12 October 2026
- Version
- 2024.1
- Source
- legislation.gov.uk
- Source URL
- www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/82/made
- Source retrieved
- 12 October 2026
- Related rules
- Category
- Compliance
- Status
- Verified
- Note
- The £60,000 maximum is quoted from S.I. 2024/82, which came into force 21 days after it was made, on 13 February 2024. The £45,000 and £60,000 starting points and the £5,000 reductions are from the Home Office code of practice of 1 October 2026 (PDF, pp.32-34 and 36), which the source check cannot read; they apply to a breach on or after that date.