Yusuf warns Deliveroo directors they will face jail

Reform UK shadow home secretary Zia Yusuf has put Deliveroo’s board on notice, warning that directors who allow illegal working will face prosecution and prison. The warning follows an incident where an illegal rider was jailed for 21 years for a rape in Chelsea.

Reform UK’s shadow home secretary Zia Yusuf has escalated his party’s campaign against illegal working within the gig economy by writing directly to Deliveroo’s board of directors. In a letter dated 20 September 2026 addressed to chief executive Miki Kuusi and the board, Yusuf warned that corporate leaders would face custodial sentences rather than administrative fines under a future Reform administration.

Pressure on Gig Economy Boardrooms

The intervention comes in the wake of a shocking criminal case that saw an illegal delivery rider handed a twenty-one-year prison sentence for a rape in Chelsea. The case has intensified scrutiny on app-based courier companies and their onboarding verification procedures, with critics arguing that current safety checks are wholly inadequate.

Under Reform UK’s proposed ‘Deliveroo Law’ framework, executives at companies found to be profiting from or facilitating illegal labour would face personal criminal liability and imprisonment. In addition to custodial sentences for directors, the proposals outline corporate fines equivalent to ten percent of global revenues.

Industry Response and Security Claims

Deliveroo has previously defended its security record, stating that the firm takes illegal working extremely seriously. Company representatives have maintained that Deliveroo leads the industry by implementing right-to-work checks, conducting multiple daily identity validations, and deploying advanced fraud-detection software to prevent unauthorised individuals from accessing accounts.

Despite these technological safeguards, political pressure on gig economy executives remains intense as lawmakers from across the political spectrum demand stricter enforcement, tighter platform security, and greater personal accountability for corporate leadership teams.

Further developments are expected as parliament debates corporate responsibility measures and the regulation of app-based delivery platforms.

Original source: Read the full report at X @ZiaYusufUK