The Home Office has released its latest list of fines imposed on businesses caught employing illegal workers. The home office data is released four times a year with the latest list covering the period between July and September 2025.

The largest fine issued in Cumbria was to a Penrith Indian restaurant and takeaway, the Raj (Suheb) Ltd on King Street was fined £90,000 by the Home Office after illegal workers were found working at the Indian restaurant and takeaway.

Between July and September 2025 five business across Cumbria were handed fines from the Home office for having illegal workers.

The Home Office says employers can face unlimited fines and up to five years in prison if they hire people who do not have the right to work in the UK, including cases where visas have expired, restrictions are breached, or proper checks on identity documents have not been carried out.

The Raj (Suheb) Ltd is now facing an active proposal to strike the company off with accounts overdue for the company who’s registered address for the Penrith business is in Manchester.

The business is under new ownership since the fines and home office intervention over the illegal workers with the new owner taking over in October 2025.

The new owners have said "Since taking over, we have implemented strict procedures to ensure full compliance with UK employment and immigration laws. All staff currently employed by us have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom, and appropriate right-to-work checks are carried out for every member of our team."

"We take our legal responsibilities extremely seriously and remain committed to operating our business in full compliance with UK regulations while continuing to serve our customers and community in Penrith."

Police and Home office teams carried out a number of raids on Penrith businesses in August 2025 with arrests made in multiple businesses in the town, other premises raided with arrests, included mini markets, barbers, and beauty salons in Penrith.

The full list of Illegal working civil penalties for UK employers issued by the home office between July and September 2025 can be viewed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/illegal-working-penalties-uk-report/illegal-working-civil-penalties-for-uk-employers-1-april-2025-to-30-june-2025#table-illegal-working-civil-penalties-for-uk-employers

Details of fines on the other local businesses raided are expected to be listed in the next release of the home office data released quarterly.