Major food delivery companies in the UK are introducing stricter identity verification measures, including enhanced facial recognition checks, to prevent illegal working in the gig economy. Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat announced the changes after meetings with government officials following investigations that uncovered asylum seekers working as delivery drivers by using other people’s accounts.
Under the new protocols, the platforms will increase the frequency of facial verification checks to ensure that only registered account holders can access delivery apps and accept orders. Just Eat plans to shift from monthly to daily selfie checks, while Deliveroo and Uber Eats will expand both the quantity and sophistication of their facial recognition procedures. Companies have 90 days to roll out these measures, after which the government will review compliance. The move targets a persistent problem of account sharing in the gig economy, where verified accounts are sometimes rented out to unauthorized workers.
Government Response and Platform Commitments
The UK Home Office confirmed that these firms would strengthen their verification processes as part of a broader government initiative to combat illegal working across multiple sectors. Border Security and Asylum Minister Angela Eagle stated, “We are taking a zero-tolerance approach to illegal working across the board.”
Deliveroo emphasized its commitment to the new security measures. A company spokesperson said, “Today we have committed to increasing daily facial-recognition checks, and we welcome the industry’s commitment to do the same.” However, none of the companies have publicly disclosed the names of the biometric technology vendors supplying these facial recognition systems.
The enhanced measures support the UK’s ongoing efforts to strengthen digital identity verification standards. The upcoming Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill is expected to introduce new legal requirements obliging gig economy companies to perform right-to-work checks, moving these practices from voluntary guidelines to statutory obligations.
Context of Migration and Industry Trends
Media investigations have revealed that some asylum seekers, who are not legally allowed to work while their applications are under review, have found ways to bypass controls by borrowing legitimate workers’ accounts. According to the UK Home Office, approximately 19,100 people crossed the English Channel in small boats from France to the UK as of June 30, 2025. While French politicians and commentators have previously suggested that informal job opportunities in the UK act as a pull factor, there has been no specific statement from French officials in 2025 directly linking illegal employment to this year’s migration trends.
These new security measures mirror actions taken by other gig economy platforms globally. For example, DoorDash implemented enhanced identity verification protocols in late 2024, including regular selfie checks and machine learning tools to detect fraudulent activity, signaling a wider industry shift toward stricter user verification to protect platform integrity.
Sources: BBC, Business Times, Evening Standard
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By Ali Nassar-Smith
