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Data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act revealed that a total of 1,974 Notification of Liability (NOL) notices for a civil penalty were issued to employers of illegal workers in the UK during the last year. The cost of these penalties equates to £29.6 million. In comparison, between 2013 and 2014 there were 2,148 NOLs issued and between 2012 and 2013 1,270 were served.
Matthew Brown, Managing Director of specialist services provider, giant group, said: “At first glance the figures suggest that the Government’s move to double the maximum penalty from £10,000 to £20,000 has paid off, with the figures for 2013 and 2014 revealing a reduction in the number of NOLs.
"However the amount has only reduced marginally (by 174) and more importantly if we look at the statistics over a three year period the number has actually increased by 704 since 2012. This is a significant rise given the high fine facing companies caught employing illegal workers.
“While we welcome any attempt by the Government to crackdown on firms employing illegal workers it appears that a lot more needs to be done to ensure this practice is stamped out once and for all. While the changes made to the maximum penalty a company can receive are certainly a step in the right direction they have, as yet, failed to make any significant changes.”
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Susie Hughes © Shout99 2015
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