Immigration case studies

Coventry City Council

Follow up of an NFI data match found that the council had employed a care assistant since 2006 who had no right to remain or work in the UK. Investigations revealed that staff records contained a letter from the Home Office purporting to grant the assistant indefinite leave to enter and work in the UK. The council had followed its vetting procedures for staff but this letter was a forgery, which the council could not have detected under its normal checks on staff. The letter was dated the same date that the Home Office had dismissed an appeal from the person. The care assistant pleaded guilty at court and received a six months prison sentence suspended for two years.

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London Borough of Merton

Follow up of an NFI match by the London Borough of Merton revealed that the council had unknowingly employed someone since 2003 with no right to remain or work in the UK. Employment vetting procedures had been followed, but these checks did not reveal that the letter the employee had produced confirming their entitlement to work was a forgery. The employee was asked to produce additional confirmation of entitlement to work, but was unable to do so. As a result of the investigation the employee was dismissed and deported by the UK Border Agency. The council is now looking at the potential to recover tax, National Insurance and pension contributions which could equate to up to 40 per cent of the total employment costs.