Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat have committed to “strengthening” their security protocols following reports of asylum seekers allegedly working illegally as couriers on their platforms.
The food delivery giants have agreed to bolster facial verification measures and fraud detection systems in an effort to prevent individuals without the legal right to work in the UK from utilizing another person’s account to generate income illicitly.
Current regulations stipulate that asylum seekers are prohibited from working for the initial 12 months of their stay in the UK, or until their asylum application receives official approval.
Concerns have emerged suggesting that some migrants residing in government-provided asylum hotels have been earning wages through these delivery applications.
The government has acknowledged the existence of “illicit account sharing,” enabling individuals to work for these companies in violation of the law.
According to government statements, Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat have now consented to “increase the utilization of facial verification checks and fraud detection technology” to ensure that only registered account holders are able to operate on their respective platforms.
Specifically, Deliveroo and Uber Eats will enhance the scope and sophistication of their existing verification processes, while Just Eat will implement daily checks, a shift from their previous monthly schedule.
The government has indicated that these enhanced security measures will be implemented within the next 90 days.
“This government will not turn a blind eye to illegal working,” asserted Dame Angela Eagle, Minister for Border Security and Asylum.
“It undermines legitimate businesses, negatively impacts wages, and benefits human smuggling networks.”
Over the past year, Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat have voluntarily introduced right-to-work checks for all account holders and registered “substitute” drivers. However, ministers have expressed concern that instances of abuse within the sector persist.
Last week, The Sun reported that migrants who crossed the English Channel were allegedly renting out Deliveroo and Just Eat delivery accounts via social media groups.
The report further claimed that asylum seekers were earning as much as £1,000 per week through these applications and identified numerous online forums where registered riders were subletting their accounts for as little as £40 per week.
Ministers convened with representatives from the three companies on Monday in response to these reports.
A Deliveroo spokesperson stated that the company maintains a “zero-tolerance approach to anyone abusing our platform” and emphasized its “commitment to further strengthening our approach, increasing daily facial recognition checks.”
Uber Eats affirmed its commitment to “continue to invest in industry-leading tools to detect illegal work and remove fraudulent accounts,” while Just Eat added that it is “continuing to invest significant resources to protect the integrity of our network.”
In March, the government announced that companies operating within the gig economy would be legally obligated to conduct right-to-work checks, ensuring that all individuals working under their banner are eligible for employment in the UK. This measure aims to align the gig economy with standard employment practices.
Businesses that fail to comply with these regulations may face substantial penalties, including fines of up to £60,000 per worker, business closures, director disqualifications, and potential prison sentences of up to five years.
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