Starting today, fines for employers who hire illegal migrants are being tripled as part of the government's efforts to crack down on illicit working in Britain.

Under the new regulations, those found to have employed an illegal migrant could face a civil penalty of £45,000 per worker for a first breach, up from the previous £15,000. Repeat breaches could incur fines of £60,000 per worker, compared to the previous £20,000.

In addition to targeting employers, the government is also significantly increasing penalties for landlords who rent properties to illegal migrants. Fines for landlords allowing illegal migrants to rent their properties are now set at £5,000 per lodger and £10,000 per occupier for a first breach, up from £80 and £1,000 respectively. Repeat breaches carry fines of £10,000 per lodger and £20,000 per occupier, compared to the previous £500 and £3,000.

These tougher sanctions are aimed at sending a clear message to those considering travelling to Britain by small boat that they will not be able to work or find accommodation in the UK.

The increased fines are intended to reduce the 'pull factor' for potential migrants and disrupt people-smuggling networks that promise jobs and housing in the UK.

Michael Tomlinson, the minister for countering illegal migration, emphasized that employing or housing illegal migrants undermines the integrity of the system and is unfair to law-abiding citizens.

According to Home Office figures, since the beginning of 2018, more than 6,000 civil penalties totaling over £105 million have been issued to employers. During the same period, landlords received over 400 civil penalties worth a total of over £330,000.

Tomlinson highlighted the government's commitment to dismantling the business model of people smugglers and emphasized the importance of robustly cracking down on those who facilitate illegal practices. He stressed that carrying out appropriate checks is a legal requirement and those who fail to comply will face stringent penalties.