North East businesses have been fined thousands of pounds after they were found to be employing illegal workers over the last 12 months.

The businesses have been listed in the Government's quarterly round-up of companies that have had penalties issued for the use of illegal workers.

According to the data - which is updated every three months - the 18 businesses that have been caught have been fined between £10,000 to £60,000.

The Home Office releases the data into the public record four times per year, and the latest data relates to the period of October to December 2022 and January to March 2023.

The businesses that have been fined for employing illegal workers are: 

  • Hetton-Le-Hole Hand Car Wash & Valeting Centre, Station Road, Hetton-le-Hole, Houghton le Spring, County Durham - fined £10,000
  • Bubbles Car Wash, Walton Terrace, Guisborough - fined £60,000
  • Caesar Chester Dine Takeaway Ltd, 179 Chester Road, Sunderland - fined £15,000
  • EU Supermarket, 30 Newborough, Scarborough - fined £20,000
  • Ashington Barbers, Ashington - fined £15,000
  • Jordy Chicken, 99 High Street West, Wallsend - fined £30,000
  • M & A Mini Market, 35a Station Road, Ashington - fined £15,000
  • One Supermarket, Poplar Buildings, Woodhorn Road, Ashington, fined £15,000
  • The Yellow Dragon, Sacriston Lane, Witton Gilbert fined £30,000
  • The Wynd Barber Shop (Express Saloon Ltd), 2A Danby Wynd, Yarm, TS15 9SF - fined £10,000
  • Lifestyle Express Thorndale Convenience Store (J & N PVT Ltd), Thorndale Road, Sunderland, SR3 4JR - fined £10,000
  • Fortune Palace (Juan Ying Zheng), 8 Hope Street, Crook, Durham, DL15 9HS - fined £20,000
  • Swalwell Car Wash (Nozad Yassin Farag), Sands Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE16 3DJ - fined £15,000
  • Royal Chef (Nrc (St Helen) Ltd), 53 Manor Road, St Helen Auckland, Bishop Auckland, DL14 9ER - fined £10,000
  • Pizza Rio (Pizza Rio Ltd), 11 Lombard Place, Front Street, Chester-le-Street, Durham, DH3 4QP - fined £10,000
  • Super Hand Carwash (RM Car Wash Ltd), 2 Longlands Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 2JL - fined £10,000
  • Rose & Lime Indian Restaurant (Rose & Lime Ltd), 24-26 Bondgate, Darlington, DL3 7JJ - fined £10,000
  • The Restory Ltd, Gosforth Park Avenue, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE12 8EG - fined £15,000

According to the Government, there can be severe penalties for employing individuals who do not have the right to work.

Gov.uk says: "You can be sent to jail for 5 years and pay an unlimited fine if you’re found guilty of employing someone who you knew or had ‘reasonable cause to believe’ did not have the right to work in the UK.

This includes, for example, if you had any reason to believe that:

  • They did not have leave (permission) to enter or remain in the UK
  • Their leave had expired
  • They were not allowed to do certain types of work
  • Their papers were incorrect or false