Right-to-work check
The mandatory check every UK employer must do to confirm a new employee can legally work in the UK for the role they’re being hired into — before their first day.
At a glance
HR- Why it matters
- UK statutory
- Related
- 3 terms
- Walkthroughs
- 3 guides
- Watch out
- Common misconception below
Plain English. UK spelling. No marketing filler.
Why this matters
Employing someone without a right to work — even unknowingly — exposes the employer to a civil penalty of up to £60,000 per worker and, in the worst cases, a criminal offence with up to five years in prison. The check must be done before the employee starts and re-checked at the right intervals for time-limited visas. A "statutory excuse" only protects the employer if the check was done correctly with the right documentation kept.
How YionStack handles it
The YionStack HR module records each right-to-work check with the method used (manual check of physical documents, IDVT — Identity Document Validation Technology — through a certified provider, or share code through the Home Office online service), the date completed, the person who completed it, and a copy of the document or the Home Office confirmation. For time-limited visas, the check expiry date stores against the employee record and surfaces 90 days before expiry so the follow-up check can be done in time. The same workspace handles the British or Irish citizen path (where no Home Office service is needed and a manual passport check is enough).
Common misconception
A driving licence is not enough on its own
A UK driving licence is not on the Home Office List A or List B for right-to-work. A passport, biometric residence permit, or a share code through the Home Office online service is what’s acceptable. A driving licence might supplement other ID for general identification but does not give the statutory excuse on its own.
Related terms
The whole UK Business Operating System.
VAT, PAYE, Companies House, CIS, payroll, CRM and the AI that watches them — in one place built for UK businesses.