New immigration rules – what do they mean for your Right to Work checks?

New immigration rules – what do they mean for your Right to Work checks?

As of 11pm on 31st December 2020, free movement for European nationals has come to an end and the UK government has implemented new policies regarding their Right to Work in the UK. But what does that really mean for your Right to Work check processes?  The first thing to note is that Right to Work checks remain a legal requirement for all new employees, no matter what their nationality. You must check all employees consistently and thoroughly to avoid discrimination and ensure they have the appropriate right to work status in the UK.The main change is that from 1st…read more >
5 reasons why identity document checks are an essential part of the pre-employment process

5 reasons why identity document checks are an essential part of the pre-employment process

If you work in HR or are responsible for recruiting staff, you will know that complying with Right to Work legislation remains essential and legislation isn't getting any simpler. Combined with continued enforcement, this puts more pressure on UK employers to get Right to Work checks for potential employees right.But checking whether someone has a legal right to work in the UK should only be undertaken once a potential employee's identity has been reliably confirmed. Checking identity documents, such as passports, are a first essential step. Here's why:1. Right to Work checks are irrelevant if the documents used to support their…read more >
A summary of fake identity document trends in 2019 – Right to Work checks

A summary of fake identity document trends in 2019 – Right to Work checks

In 2019, the number of organisations relying on our checking services continued to grow significantly, across both the public and private sectors. As the number of checks has gone up, so has the number of fake documents identified: we broke a new record for fake documents last year! Our customers use our identity services as part of their Right to Work, Right to Rent, Counter fraud and KYC/AML check processes. In this annual round-up blog, we’ll look at data from those customers who are checking ID for Right to Work in the private sector and highlight some key trends: What…read more >
Recruiting extra staff for Christmas? Don’t forget the Right to Work checks…

Recruiting extra staff for Christmas? Don’t forget the Right to Work checks…

Like it or not, the countdown to Christmas has begun. And for many businesses, from restaurants to retailers, so has the drive to bring on additional staff to cope with the seasonal rush. Commercial pressures during busy hiring periods may make it tempting to cut corners but whether you’re hiring a few people or many thousands, you still need to ensure that all potential employees are eligible to work in the UK. So how can this work if you’re recruiting staff across many different locations? Non-compliance with Right to Work checks can bring more than just the associated fines -…read more >
A range of identity validation services for Right to Work compliance

A range of identity validation services for Right to Work compliance

When it comes to Right to Work software, we know very well that a ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t work. The service you need will depend on your process, in-house knowledge, risk profile, the volume of checks you need, your budget and how you want to make checks and so much more! We recently spoke to Arc Hospitality about why they introduced ID validation software as part of their Right to Work process, how our range of services helps them to maintain compliance across their business and how they’ve been able to vary the technology they use as their requirements have evolved. Arc Hospitality are…read more >
Building a case for Right to Work check software in your business

Building a case for Right to Work check software in your business

Introduction All businesses in the UK, regardless of organisation size or sector, must ensure that every employee has the Right to Work in the UK. This means seeing and checking relevant identity documents in the presence of the holder. This can be a physical presence or via a live video link. In both cases, you must be in physical possession of the original documents. However, the number of people attempting to using fake identity documents to illegally gain employment continues to grow. What’s more, if you employ someone who has no Right to Work in the UK or who is using…read more >
Are you up to speed with Right to Work legislation?

Are you up to speed with Right to Work legislation?

Right to Work legislation is not straightforward! If you're making checks on staff, including temporary or voluntary staff, you can be shown 17 different types of document, potentially issued in hundreds of different countries, that may need to be checked in a variety of combinations to demonstrate eligibility to work in the UK.  And the Employers guide to Right to Work checks on the Government website stretches to 40 pages! So how confident are you that you and your staff all understand the rules and are all compliant when making identity document checks? We’ve put together a quick quiz based on some of…read more >
Making Right to Work checks: what happens when they go wrong?

Making Right to Work checks: what happens when they go wrong?

During a webinar with our partners CIPHR - 'Building a case for electronic Right to Work checks' - I gave an overview of current Right to Work legislation and the risks associated with employing illegal workers and shared how our solutions help to speed up Right to Work checks. As part of the webinar, I asked participants how they were currently making checks and what they thought were the biggest risks of getting checks wrong. Read on for a summary of the presentation...1. What are Right to Work checks?As you probably know, if you’re employing staff in the UK, you…read more >
Overcoming 7 challenges of Right to Work checks

Overcoming 7 challenges of Right to Work checks

If you employ people in the UK, you are probably aware of the legal requirement to check that all potential and existing employees, regardless of their nationality, are eligible to work through Right to Work checks.  Most businesses have a process built into their recruitment policies, often a manual check involving a visual inspection and photocopy of identity document.In this blog, we look at 7 challenges that Right to Work checks bring to a business and how technology can help overcome them.With the growth of more diverse workforces and more flexible ways of working, the challenge of making accurate, consistent…read more >
Why do we need to do pre-employment immigration checks on UK or EU recruits?

Why do we need to do pre-employment immigration checks on UK or EU recruits?

As you probably know, every employer has a legal duty to prevent illegal working and is required to undertake pre-employment immigration checks on all staff to ensure that they have the right to work in the UK. But if your recruits claim to be British or EU nations, do you really need to make Right to Work checks?Employers could face prosecution if they deliberately ignore the law and employ someone who does not have the right to work in the UK or if they have ‘reasonable cause to believe’ that they are working illegally. Penalties can include fines of up…read more >