Who is now in scope
- Workers on a worker’s contract, including casual, temporary and zero-hours workers
- Individual contractors and self-employed people you engage directly
- Agency workers and labour supplied through other companies
- Gig economy and platform-based workers, and any substitutes they send
What you need to do
- Check right to work before the person starts working for you, not after
- Use a method set out in the Home Office code of practice: an online check with a share code, or a manual check of original documents with the person present
- Keep a clear copy of what you checked, and record the date
- For time-limited permission, do a follow-up check before it runs out
What it costs to get it wrong
The civil penalty is up to £45,000 per illegal worker for a first breach and up to £60,000 per worker for a repeat breach within three years. A correctly done check, recorded at the time, gives you a statutory excuse against the penalty.
Where SetsCheck helps
SetsCheck makes sure every check is recorded properly: it won’t save a right to work check as Verified until every step is ticked and the evidence is attached, it labels late checks so nothing is hidden, and it reminds you before time-limited permission ends.
Official guidance
Read the Home Office code of practice on preventing illegal working and the GOV.UK guidance on penalties for employing illegal workers. This page is a plain-English summary, not legal advice.