"According to politicians across all parties, something called the hidden economy the shadowy nethers of the labour market, in which work goes unregulated and undeclared to the authorities is a menace, full of migrants whose illegal working undercuts British workers, and even a threat to our national security. MPs have been so worried about asylum seekers delivering their Friday night pizza that they've spent parliamentary time discussing Deliveroo et al's business models."
"In response, the government has repeatedly reassured us, in the somewhat Mills & Boon-style phrasing of Yvette Cooper, when she was home secretary, that it's surging enforcement to tackle the problem. Solutions suggested include Keir Starmer's digital ID cards, requirements for increased right to work checks, and new data-sharing agreements in which the Home Office gives delivery companies the addresses of asylum hotels to try to stop asylum seekers working."
Politicians across parties portray the hidden economy as a migrant-driven menace that undercuts British workers and threatens national security. Parliamentary attention has focused on gig-economy firms like Deliveroo and on asylum seekers working informal shifts. The government proposes digital ID cards, stricter right-to-work checks, and Home Office data-sharing with employers to prevent asylum seekers earning. Government-commissioned reports (2011, 2017, 2023) define the hidden economy as legal-sector work unregistered for tax or regulation. The latest estimate puts about 8.8% of adults (around 4.4 million) working under the table, while 700,000–900,000 undocumented migrants plus 224,000 asylum seekers would be a minority of that total.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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