Every UK employer is legally required to complete Right to Work checks before hiring someone. If you accidentally employ someone who doesn’t have the legal right to work in the UK, you could face serious consequences. Fines can reach up to £60,000 per illegal worker, and in some cases, employers may even face criminal prosecution.
That’s why we’ve made it easier to stay compliant. Our system takes the stress out of Right to Work checks, helping you carry out and record checks correctly, with no room for guesswork.
Keep Your Right to Work Checks Simple
Right to Work checks don’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. Our platform is built to simplify the process, so you can stay compliant without the stress.
With Employment Tools, you can:
- Complete Right to Work checks with ease
- Upload and securely store proof for future audits
- Get reminders when a check is about to expire
- Track the status of every employee’s Right to Work
All of this can be managed from your dashboard, alongside any other employment checks you’re running.
Free Right to Work Check Reminders
If a member of your team has limited permission to work in the UK, you’ll need to repeat their Right to Work check before it expires. Our system keeps track of these dates for you and sends automatic reminders, giving you plenty of time to update the records.
This reminder system is completely free to help keep your organisation compliance and fine-free.
What Is a Right to Work Check?
A Right to Work check is the process of confirming that a person has the legal right to work in the UK. This check must be done before the employee starts work. In some cases, you may need to repeat the check later if the employee has a time-limited status.
Even if you know the employee was born in the UK, a check must still be done.
There are three ways to complete a Right to Work check:
- Manual Check – You inspect the employee’s original documents in person
- Online Share Code Check – You use the government’s system with the employee’s share code and date of birth
- Digital Identity Check – A digital check using an approved provider (also available for British and Irish passport holders)
Our platform supports all three options and stores your proof securely for future reference.
What Happens If You Don’t Carry Out a Right to Work Check?
Not completing a proper Right to Work check, or failing to keep a record of it, can lead to serious consequences for your organisation.
If you hire someone who does not have the legal right to work in the UK, or if you cannot prove that you carried out the correct checks, you could face:
- A fine of up to £15,000 for a first offence
- Fines of up to £60,000 per illegal worker for repeat breaches
- Unlimited fines and possible prison time if it is found that you knew, or had reason to believe, the person was not eligible to work
In addition to legal penalties, your organisation may also suffer from:
- Reputational damage
- Loss of contracts or funding
- Disruption to day-to-day operations
- Failing audits or inspections
It is your responsibility to make sure all staff have the right to work and that records are kept properly. Our system helps you stay on top of this, with clear records and reminders so nothing is missed.
Who Needs Right to Work Checks?
All new hires must go through a Right to Work check before they start working. This includes full-time employees, part-time staff, contractors, and temporary workers.
If you’re responsible for recruitment or onboarding, it is your legal duty to ensure these checks are completed properly.
What Documents Are Needed for Right to Work Checks?
The documents depend on the individual’s nationality and immigration status. There are three main ways to check:
- A valid UK or Irish passport
- A share code and date of birth for online checks
- eVisa (online immigration status)
A biometric residence permit or permit can no longer be accepted a a document for Right to Work checks. These were discontinued in October 2024, and were replaced with eVisa’s.
Why Use Employment Tools for Right to Work Checks?
We built Employment Tools to help employers avoid costly mistakes. Before creating our system, one of our clients was fined £30,000 because a Right to Work check wasn’t updated correctly. The person had the legal right to work, but the paperwork wasn’t in place. We don’t want that to happen to anyone else.
Let Us Show You How It Works
Want to see how Employment Tools can take the stress out of staying compliant? Book a free demo and a member of our team will guide you through the platform, answer your questions, and show how everything fits together in one simple system.
If you’d rather explore it yourself, you can register for free and get started right away. We’re here to make your job easier, help you avoid costly mistakes, and give you the tools to stay in control.
Part of an All-In-One Employment Tool
Right to Work checks aren’t the only thing you can do at Aaron’s Department! We also allow you to quickly apply for other recruitment-essential checks, such as DBS Checks, Digital ID, Reference Checks, and a whole host of other international checks.
Any check you request and send to us by 4pm (Monday-Friday) will be processed the very same day to help your candidates get into work fast.
