Arrests linked to illegal working in the UK have more than doubled over two years as the Home Office expanded enforcement visits to businesses suspected of employing people without permission to work. Government figures cited on August 7 said more than 17,000 arrests had been made since the July 2024 general election, alongside more than 2,300 removals. Earlier official data also showed large increases in workplace visits and arrests across the country. The government says the operations target illegal employment and employers who exploit unlawful labour.