Government promises investigation after undercover journalist exposes illegal trafficking of migrant workers

The government has pledged to investigate the illegal trafficking of migrant workers into the UK that was unveiled last night after a BBC investigation.

Undercover Lithuanian journalist Audrius Lelkaitis posed as a migrant worker for the BBC and found foreign workers were being lied to, paid less than the minimum wage and forced to live in squalor.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

Email(Required)

OptOut

From time to time, we will send you emails about selected products, events and services from Personnel Today - but you can choose to opt-out at any time. If you do not wish to receive these emails, please tick this box.

Name

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

After being offered work with Hull-based Focus Staff, Lelkaitis was paid £97 for 20 hours’ work per week However, before receiving his pay, £50 was illegally deducted for accommodation in a room he shared with 11 others, leaving him with a weekly wage of just £47.

Employment relations minister Jim Fitzpatrick said he took the findings “most seriously”. A DTI spokesman confirmed that an investigation would take place.