Press Releases

4 Results Found

CWA RESPONDS TO INCREASED CIVIL PENALTIES FOR CAR WASHES HIRING ILLEGAL MIGRANTS; CALLS FOR TOUGHER ENFORCEMENT

09/06/2025

Commenting on the Government’s recent data on illegal working civil penalties, Brian Madderson, Chairman of the Car Wash Association (CWA), said: “CWA welcomes the Government’s crackdown on hand car wash businesses who employ illegal workers and supports the Home Office’s efforts to tackle an issue which can cost the Treasury hundreds of thousands. However, we feel that enforcement must go further."

CWA RESPONDS TO RECORD THAMES WATER FINE

28/05/2025

Commenting on the announcement of a record fine on Thames Water for breaches of rules relating to its wastewater operations, Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Car Wash Association (CWA), said: "The Car Wash Association welcomes the record fine imposed on Thames Water for their failure to comply with the rules..."

CWA RESPONDS TO CHANCELLOR'S SPRING STATEMENT

26/03/2025

Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Car Wash Association responded to the Chancellor's Budget: "We welcome the Chancellor's announcement that HMRC will crack down on unpaid fines. Illegal hand car washes have for too long been flouting regulations and ignoring the corresponding fines with impunity. HMRC has let this go totally unenforced, leaving millions of pounds uncollected and allowing criminals to profit at the expense of law-abiding, taxpaying businesses."

ILLEGAL WORKER FINES OF £3M AT HAND CAR WASHES (HCW)

05/03/2025

Brian Madderson, Chair of the Car Wash Association (CWA), was shocked but not surprised by the latest figures from the Illegal Immigration Unit at the Home Office, he said “Every major report over the last 10 years has highlighted the serious labour abuse at non-compliant HCW and yet so little has been done by our enforcement agencies to eradicate their illegal practices. Despite the Home Secretary’s pledge to tackle illegal working and the increased investigations resulting in £2.9M fines for just the 3rd quarter of 2024, the reality is that this sector is being allowed to continue working.