Commercial operators such as freight hauliers and coach operators should be aware of changes to the UK’s Clandestine Entrant Civil Penalty Scheme. The British Government reformed this scheme following industry consultation during 2022 and the new scheme began in early 2023. Full details of it are available here.

To summarise, the changes affect two parts of the scheme as follows:

Failing to Secure a Goods Vehicle

The reformed scheme brought in revised fines and financial penalties on the responsible person or persons (including joint liability) when judged to have failed to secure a goods vehicle. There are new sliding rates of penalties depending on the company’s previous record.  

Carrying Clandestine Entrants

Similarly it brought in a revised penalty calculated for *each* clandestine found to have been carried in a commercial vehicle and levied on the haulage company’s responsible person or persons. There are sliding rates of fines depending on the company’s previous record and also joint liability.

Please refer to this short guide which is also available in multiple European languages.