UK Target for Easy Money

Asylum Seekers Turn to ‘Easy Money’ Takeaway Delivery Jobs in Britain

Investigation Reveals Illegal Workers Making up to £500 Weekly as Bike Couriers

A comprehensive investigation has uncovered that asylum seekers residing in Home Office-funded accommodation are systematically working illegally as food delivery couriers to pay off substantial debts owed to people smugglers who facilitated their journey to the United Kingdom.

The month-long probe discovered migrants are earning as much as £500 per week through unauthorised employment with prominent delivery services, including Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats. These individuals, many of whom are explicitly prohibited from working due to their immigration status, subsequently transfer funds to their countries of origin to settle outstanding loans that financed their irregular Channel crossings.

Criminal Networks Promote UK as Prime Destination

Undercover conversations with smugglers operating across multiple countries have exposed sophisticated marketing strategies that specifically promote Britain as the ultimate asylum destination. These criminal networks emphasise two primary selling points: the relative ease of securing employment in the gig economy despite lacking proper documentation, and the guaranteed provision of government-funded hotel accommodation.

A smuggler based in Istanbul was documented stating that the UK represents the optimal choice because “all you need is a mobile phone and a bike” to generate “good money”. This sentiment was echoed consistently across multiple smuggling networks contacted during the investigation.

Hotel Residents Share Resources for Illegal Work

Migrants currently housed in Home Office-funded accommodation throughout the UK have revealed elaborate systems for sharing bicycles and illegal e-bikes—many modified to exceed legal speed limitations—to facilitate their unauthorised employment with food delivery applications.

These individuals typically work as “substitute” riders, utilising courier accounts that are illicitly rented through black market arrangements at costs ranging between £75 and £100 weekly. The practice has become so widespread that Home Office enforcement operations in 2023 discovered approximately 40 percent of delivery drivers stopped during random compliance checks were working illegally.

One resident interviewed at a London hotel accommodating hundreds of male asylum seekers claimed that “nearly all” fellow occupants were employed as self-employed couriers specifically to cover the costs of their Channel crossings.

Some migrants reported facing increasing pressure from family members in their countries of origin who expect prompt settlement of debts incurred to finance their journey to Britain. This creates a cycle of financial obligation that further incentivises illegal employment.

Trafficking Networks: Methodology and Communication

The investigation established contact with people smugglers operating from various locations including Turkey, Herat in western Afghanistan, Tehran in Iran, and migrant encampments across northern France. Contact details were obtained through British-based migrants and individuals living in makeshift camps in Calais and Dunkirk.

These criminal facilitators communicated in multiple languages, including combinations of Arabic, English, Persian, Dari, Pashto and Kurdish, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of their clientele.

Security consciousness was paramount among smugglers, who predominantly relied on encrypted messaging applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram. They frequently employed voice messages configured to automatically delete after being played, limiting the digital trail of their activities.

Analysis of telephone numbers revealed that their communication devices utilised SIM cards purchased in countries including Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq, further complicating efforts to track their operations.

Refined Sales Tactics and Misleading Promises

The investigation documented remarkably consistent sales techniques across different smuggling networks. These criminal operatives consistently encouraged potential “customers” to accumulate sufficient funds for the journey to Britain, emphasising the promise of substantial financial rewards upon arrival.

A smuggler based in Dunkirk, who charged £1,370 (€1,600) for passage on a rigid-hulled inflatable boat and basic safety equipment, assured an investigator posing as a stranded migrant in Paris: “My friend, come to Dunkirk, I’m here waiting for you. I can send you to England.”

The same individual elaborated on purported advantages of reaching British shores: “The police will find you before you even reach the shore. They’ll take you to a hotel where you’ll have everything. The Government pays you, feeds you and they’ll even give you a good home. They won’t leave you out on the street, like in France.”

He specifically highlighted employment opportunities: “You’ll find work very easily. There are easy jobs you can do while staying in hotels they put you in. All you need is a phone and a bike to make good money. People there will help you.”

Dangerous Misinformation About Channel Crossing

Criminal networks were documented systematically downplaying the serious risks associated with crossing the English Channel, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes where numerous migrant fatalities have occurred in recent years.

A Turkish “agent” operating from Istanbul assured a potential client: “Getting to the UK is as easy as drinking a glass of water. Many I have sent have found work with nothing more than a mobile phone and a bike. Delivering food is the easiest option while your case is being reviewed. Trust me, life in England is great – you’ll earn plenty.”

This particular smuggler, charging £7,500 for complete journey arrangements, boasted of belonging to an extensive network with operational cells across multiple European countries.

“When you get to France, you can imagine you’re already in London,” he added confidently.

When specifically questioned about potential dangers of the Channel crossing, the same individual dismissively responded: “Don’t believe what you hear in the news – the crossing is easy.” Such dangerous misrepresentations have contributed to migrants making perilous journeys with incomplete understanding of the substantial risks involved.

Guaranteed Income and Accommodation Emphasised

A Calais-based people smuggler was recorded reassuring potential clients via encrypted messaging that any borrowed funds used to finance passage to the UK could be easily repaid through guaranteed employment opportunities.

Using religious language to build trust, he stated: “My dear brother, Inshallah, with God’s power, I’ll send you to England. You’ll make money very easily. I send many people. They work just by having a bike and delivering food. And after work you will have a hotel room to rest in.”

This comprehensive messaging strategy—combining promises of accommodation, income, and easy loan repayment—forms a powerful incentive structure that continues to drive irregular migration towards Britain despite government efforts to reduce Channel crossings.

Record Numbers Continue Despite Enforcement Efforts

The findings come during a period of heightened concern regarding irregular migration, with recent statistics indicating that the number of migrants crossing the Channel has reached 10,000 in record time under the current government. This represents a significant challenge for border enforcement and asylum processing systems.

Broader Implications for Immigration Policy

The systematic exploitation of asylum seekers by criminal networks, combined with the circumvention of employment restrictions, raises complex questions about the effectiveness of current immigration controls and the management of asylum claims.

The revelation that substantial numbers of individuals prohibited from working are nevertheless finding employment in the gig economy highlights significant challenges in enforcing immigration regulations within flexible, technology-enabled work arrangements that characterise modern delivery services.

Additionally, the investigation demonstrates how smuggling networks have adapted their marketing approaches to specifically target the UK, emphasising perceived advantages in the asylum system and labour market that make Britain an attractive destination despite significant policy efforts to reduce irregular migration.

As government authorities continue addressing these challenges, the investigation underscores the sophisticated nature of criminal networks facilitating irregular migration and their ability to exploit vulnerabilities in immigration and employment systems across multiple countries.

Need for Coordinated Response

The findings suggest that addressing irregular migration and associated illegal employment requires coordination between multiple government departments, including the Home Office, Department for Work and Pensions, and transport authorities responsible for regulating delivery services.

Additionally, the investigation highlights the importance of international cooperation in disrupting criminal networks that operate across multiple countries, using sophisticated communication methods to evade detection while continuing to facilitate irregular migration to the United Kingdom.

As policy debates continue regarding appropriate responses to asylum claims and irregular migration, this investigation provides important context regarding the economic incentives, criminal facilitation, and practical realities that shape migration decisions and subsequent employment choices among asylum seekers awaiting the resolution of their cases.

Comment

Targeting the underground industries that work around cash, illegal activity or illegal work is very easy, they are visible, they can be tracked, monitored, investigated and shut down, why don’t they do that?

We must make the UK less attractive to commercial migration at the expense of our society.