Fines totalling close to £350,000 have been imposed on companies across Oxfordshire for recruiting staff without proper legal permission, covering activities at an automobile cleaning business, a small retail outlet, and a dining establishment.

In Oxford, a car washing service situated at the Kassam Stadium complex on Grenoble Road was found to have individuals working without documentation at its premises.

Immigration Enforcement, which disclosed details regarding the car wash operation, confirmed that a £90,000 financial penalty was issued for the unauthorised workers employed there.

The obligation to settle this penalty now falls to Elegant Car Wash Ltd, although plans have been proposed to strike the company off the official business register.

Elsewhere, a residential care facility at 6 Park Road in Didcot was handed a £40,000 penalty following an investigation by Immigration Enforcement.

During its most recent Ofsted assessment carried out in April 2025, this residential service received an inadequate classification.

Ofsted reported that employees neglected to examine crucial documentation from the placing authority containing detailed instructions for supporting the young people in their care.

This oversight resulted in children becoming embroiled in dangerous situations that placed them in significant danger of harm.

Reform Didcot representative Hao Du offered his thoughts, stating that the welfare of the children must take precedence in this matter.

Ofsted flagged two children who were in considerable danger, and the same operator has now been penalised for taking on someone without employment authorisation. This represents fundamental regulatory adherence.

When a business cannot handle this basic requirement properly, it raises questions about what else may have been poorly managed, and the Ofsted findings reveal substantial problems.

Families residing in Didcot have every right to expect that accommodation for vulnerable young people operates to proper standards and that concerns are spotted promptly.

I will be reaching out to Oxfordshire County Council to ask about what they are doing to guarantee that facilities operating in our region meet the standards our children deserve.

A Curry House in Carterton by the name of Bilash Tandoori also received a visit from Immigration Enforcement and was issued a considerable penalty of £280,000 for engaging illegal workers.

J&K Cuisine Ltd, the registered business running Bilash, went into liquidation after Immigration Enforcement conducted their visit during the summer period last year.

Particulars regarding this operation and the number of undocumented employees discovered have not been included in Immigration Enforcement’s recent release.

Nevertheless, companies discovered harbouring an illegal worker typically face fines reaching £45,000 per individual concerned.

Close to Banbury, Immigration Enforcement officials attended Rai Convenience Store, also trading as Sanderz News, on Main Road in Middleton Cheney acting on a tip.

Official Home Office paperwork reveals that during interview, the illegal employee revealed she had been working at the shop for approximately three to four years.

The documentation shows she earned £6 hourly for shelf-stacking duties, working four days each week for three to four hours per shift.

The company received a £45,000 financial penalty.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressed that illegal work has no place in British communities.

That is precisely why enforcement activity has been elevated to the highest level in this nation’s history, ensuring that illegal migrants operating in the shadow economy have nowhere to conceal themselves.

I am committed to doing everything within my power to re-establish order and control at our borders.

Eddy Montgomery, who leads the Home Office’s immigration, compliance and enforcement divisions, conveyed being particularly proud of the unwavering dedication demonstrated in tackling illegal employment.

While this represents considerable advancement, our efforts will not stop here, he added.

We will persist in taking forceful action against this unlawful activity across our towns, cities and villages to guarantee that no one can evade immigration legislation.