Industry urges Home Secretary to speed up clandestine entrant scheme improvements

200 logistics businesses have today joined the RHA in calling on the Home Secretary to speed up improvements to a scheme to prevent ‘clandestine entrants’ crossing into the UK in lorries and coaches.

Ministers have pledged to implement recommendations from a damning report citing systematic failures with the Clandestine Entrant Civil Penalty Scheme which ‘recognises’ hauliers and coach operators efforts to keep their vehicles secure.

A recent independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration inspection revealed that drivers and operators are vulnerable to being hit with huge fines even when they have done everything possible to protect and secure their vehicles from migrants.

The report also made recommendations for Border Force to address insufficient training, underinvestment in tools and technology and vulnerabilities at the border.

The Home Office said they will work to a 12-18-month timescale to implement some of the recommendations but the RHA says it must be done quicker.


In an open letter to Yvette Cooper today (Monday 19 May) 200 businesses from across the UK have joined the RHA in saying measures should be brought forward by the end of 2025.

RHA Public Affairs and Policy Director, Declan Pang said:


“For too long, our industry has been unfairly hit by the failings in the current scheme. We echo the Chief Inspector’s comments that the Home Office should either adequately resource or reform the scheme in line with the funding it is willing to commit."

“Every day, drivers and operators who have taken all possible steps to secure their vehicles do not know if they will be fairly treated under the current system. This does not instil confidence, and we hope the Home Secretary will agree with businesses in our industry that the status quo is deeply unfair and cannot continue. We look forward to seeing greater urgency on this issue to keep the UK border secure as effectively as possible.”

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Notes for editors

Letter to the Home Secretary: https://www.rha.uk.net/Portals/0/Campaigns/RHA%20open%20letter%20to%20Home%20Secretary%20-%20April%202025_.pdf?ver=WXw1tJtEAVFGZvwtbggEPA%3D%3D