A Government consultation on planned Right to Work changes is now live, giving businesses across the UK the opportunity to give their views.
The UK Government has launched a consultation on proposed legislative changes which would expand the existing Right to Work scheme. These changes would extend the requirement to carry out Right to Work checks to those businesses hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers – practices which are particularly prevalent in sectors such as food delivery, courier services, and construction.
Alex Norris, Minister for Border Security and Asylum, has said: “This will ensure that companies which employ individuals under a worker’s contract, individual sub-contractors, and online matching services (that provide details of service providers to potential clients or customers for remuneration), are required to carry out right to work checks. The associated civil and criminal sanctions for non-compliance will therefore be made applicable in these circumstances.”
These changes are likely to have significant ramifications for businesses across the UK. While some employers already carry out Right to Work checks in the above circumstances, in the “spirit” of the law, the risk of non-compliance will naturally increase as the scope of working relationships necessitating a Right to Work check widens.
The consultation gives employers the opportunity to shape the implementation of the new rules, as well as to highlight any practical difficulties that their business may face as a result of the changes. If you currently engage contractors or zero-hours workers, then we would recommend responding to the consultation to ensure that any impact on your business is not overlooked.
The consultation remains open until 11:59pm on 10 December 2025. You can respond to it online, by clicking here.
If you would like any help with preparing your responses, please get in touch at [email protected]
