Food delivery firms to tighten measures to stop 'illicit account-sharing'
Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat have agreed to tighten their security checks following reports some asylum seekers are working by using other people's accounts.
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The popular food delivery services will enhance facial recognition and fraud detection systems to prevent individuals without the legal right to work in the UK from using another person's account to work illegally.
Concerns have emerged that some migrants staying in asylum hotels are earning money through delivery apps by using rented or shared accounts.
Asylum seekers are not permitted to work during their first 12 months in the UK, or until their application is approved.
The government said “illicit account sharing” allows asylum seekers to bypass legal work restrictions.
As part of the new measures, Deliveroo and Uber Eats will expand both the quantity and sophistication of their existing verification checks, while Just Eat will begin conducting daily, rather than monthly, checks. These measures will be implemented within the next 90 days.
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Border Security and Asylum Minister Dame Angela Eagle said the government "will not turn a blind eye to illegal working,” warning that it undermines fair business practices, affects wages and supports criminal networks such as people smuggling gangs.
Although the three companies have already introduced voluntary right-to-work checks on all account holders and registered "substitute" drivers, ministers remain concerned about ongoing abuse.
Last week, The Sun reported that migrants were earning up to £1,000 a week by renting others' accounts through social media platforms, sometimes for as little as £40 per week.
Following a meeting with ministers on Monday, the three companies reaffirmed their commitment to tackling misuse.
Deliveroo said it has a "zero tolerance approach to anyone abusing our platform" and will expand daily facial recognition checks.
Uber Eats said it would "continue to invest in industry-leading tools to detect illegal work and remove fraudulent accounts", while Just Eat said it is "continuing to invest significant resources to protect the integrity of our network".
In March, the government announced that gig economy firms will soon be legally obligated to verify that all workers are authorized to work in the UK.
Non-compliance could result in severe penalties, including fines of up to £60,000 per worker, business closures, disqualification of company directors, and prison terms of up to five years.