Bosses fined thousands for illegal workers

MA Foods on Atherton Road in Hindley was fined £15,000 and Standish Barbers on Market Street in Standish was fined £30,000 for hiring workers who did not have permission to work in the UK.

Paramanantham Ratnasingam, who is liable to pay the fine for MA Foods, as well as the owners of KS Standish Barbers Ltd, were both served with a civil penalty at the beginning of the year for not complying with illegal working legislation.

Both businesses were reprimanded for either failing to pay the original fine within 28 days of it being served, or for being caught hiring illegal immigrants following an initial notice.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Those who use and exploit illegal workers face severe financial penalties.“We are happy to work with businesses to ensure the right pre-employment checks are carried out, but those intent on operating outside the law will be found and will be punished.

"Using illegal labour is not victimless. It cheats the taxpayer, undercuts honest businesses and cheats legitimate job seekers of employment opportunities. We robustly pursue debts owed by employers of illegal immigrants, and in 2015/2016 collected more than £12 million.”

The penalty fines were served to the companies between January 1 and March 31 this year.

The Wigan Post was unable to contact either party for comment.