Right-to-Work Compliance: How One Wirral Restaurant Ended Up with a £180,000 Bill
1. Snapshot of the Incident
In data released by the Home Office on 31 May 2025, Portofino (New Brighton) Ltd—operators of the Portofino Italian restaurant on Marine Promenade, Wirral—appears with a civil penalty of £180,000 for employing staff who did not have the legal right to work in the UK. The fine forms part of the quarterly list covering 1 Oct – 31 Dec 2024, which only publishes cases where all objections and appeals have been exhausted. gov.uk
Local coverage that same week confirmed it was “one of the largest penalties handed out by immigration officials” and linked the figure to four illegal workers discovered during an enforcement visit. birkenhead.news
2. What Went Wrong?
No Statutory Excuse
Employers avoid liability only if they perform and record compliant right-to-work checks. Portofino could not show this.
Fine Levels Have Tripled
Since 13 February 2024, a first-time breach attracts up to £45,000 per worker; repeat breaches run to £60,000. Four workers × £45,000 = £180,000—exactly what Portofino was ordered to pay. gov.uk
Public Naming and Shaming
The Home Office now publishes every non-paying or repeat offender, guaranteeing negative headlines and lost goodwill.
3. Lessons for Employers
| Risk Area | Why It Matters | Portofino Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| On-boarding Checks | Must verify every new hire before they start work. | Failure to check at recruitment was the root cause. |
| Document Retention | A simple photo or PDF copy plus a dated note provides the statutory excuse. | Portofino had no audit trail to show. |
| Follow-up & Repeat Audits | Visas expire; follow-ups protect you. | Unknown visa status of existing staff left gaps. |
| Policy Training | Staff must know how to use the digital checking service or chosen app. | Front-line managers seemingly unaware. |
4. Why the Stakes Are Higher Than Ever
Civil penalties now reach £60,000 per illegal worker.
Directors can face disqualification, and the business can be shut down. gov.uk
The government’s enforcement drive is accelerating: 1,508 penalty notices were issued between July 2024 and March 2025 alone. gov.uk
5. How to Stay Off the Naughty List
Use the Home Office online share-code service for workers with digital status.
Set renewal reminders for visas and BRPs.
Keep an encrypted archive of every check for two years after employment ends.
Automate—because spreadsheets and sticky notes won’t save you in court.
Stop gambling with £45k per head. The RTW Check App lets you:
As simple as only 2 steps to complete a Right to Work check.
Auto-timestamp and store evidence in a tamper-proof log.
Flag visa expiries well before they happen.
Generate an exportable audit pack for any Home Office inspection in the next version.
Download RTW Check free from the App Store and get one complimentary check each month.
If you need more, upgrade to RTW Check Pro for unlimited checks at £9.99 a month or £99.99 a year.
Because the next enforcement visit could be yours—and ignorance is no defence when the bill lands.