top of page
Search

🪪 Right to work checks are changing: is your business ready?

  • HRNews
  • 4 days ago
  • 2 min read

What is it?

The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 received Royal Assent in December 2025 and is expected to bring significant changes to right to work obligations from October 2026. This is not a tweak to an existing process, it is a fundamental expansion of who employers are responsible for checking.


What you need to know

Currently, right to work checks apply to employees and workers with a direct contract. From October 2026, that scope is expected to widen considerably to include subcontractors, self-employed individuals, zero-hours workers, casual workers and individuals engaged through online matching platforms such as delivery or courier services.


Put simply: if someone is doing work for your business in any capacity, you may soon be responsible for verifying their right to work in the UK, even if they are not on your payroll.


The penalties for getting this wrong are serious and include civil fines of up to £60,000 per illegal worker and potential criminal liability.

A draft Code of Practice was published in April 2026 confirming the October 2026 anticipated start date, though final regulations have not yet been laid before Parliament so the date is not yet formally confirmed. The outcome of a Government consultation on how the changes will work in practice is also still awaited.


What it means for your business

If you use subcontractors, freelancers, casual workers or any kind of flexible workforce, this affects you directly. The days of treating right to work as purely an onboarding tick box for permanent staff are over.


Businesses in construction, logistics, hospitality and any sector reliant on flexible labour need to start preparing now. That means reviewing contracts with third parties, auditing your current workforce and supply chain, and making sure the people responsible for hiring understand what is changing and when.


How Lansbury HR can help

We can help you review your right to work processes, update your policies to reflect the expanded obligations and make sure your managers and HR team are ready before October arrives. Get in touch to find out more.



 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page