Collection

Employers: illegal working penalties

Information to help employers prevent illegal working and understand the fines (civil penalties) they face when they employ illegal workers.

Published 22 January 2014
Last updated 14 June 2018 — see all updates

• From: UK Visas and Immigration

Check how the Home Office can help you if a job applicant is a Commonwealth citizen (known as ‘Windrush’ cases) who has the legal right to live in the UK but does not have the documents to prove it.

This collection includes documents about preventing illegal working and illegal working penalties for employers. It includes:

• guidance on preventing illegal working
• codes of practice for civil penalties and avoiding discrimination
• lists of employers that have been fined
• policy for publishing employers’ details

Check if someone can work in the UK using our quick answer tool.

If you’re reasonably satisfied that the worker has an outstanding application with the Home Office that was made before their previous leave expired or has an outstanding administrative review or appeal against a Home Office decision, you can get a Positive Verification Notice which confirms their right to work from the Employer Checking Service.

Guidance and codes of practice

1. Carry out a right to work check: a 3 step guide
   • 30 June 2016
   • Guidance
2. Right to work checklist
   • 26 November 2014
   • Guidance
3. Right to work checks: an employer's guide
   • 29 June 2018
   • Guidance
4. Acceptable right to work documents: an employer's guide
   • 1 June 2015
   • Guidance
5. Preventing illegal working: frequently asked questions
   • 12 May 2015
   • Guidance
6. Civil penalty scheme for illegal working: code of practice
   • 24 November 2014
   • Guidance
7. Avoiding discrimination while preventing illegal working: code of practice
   • 24 November 2014
   • Guidance
8. Illegal working civil penalties: an employer's guide
   • 29 July 2014
   • Guidance
9. Preventing illegal working: guidance for employers, October 2013
   • 31 January 2014
   • Guidance
10. Preventing illegal working: code of practice, 2008
    • 16 February 2008
    • Guidance
11. Avoiding discrimination while preventing illegal working: code of practice, 2008
    • 16 May 2014
    • Guidance
12. Avoiding civil penalties: statutory excuse checksheet
    • 23 May 2014
    • Guidance
13. Windrush scheme and information
    • 16 August 2018
    • Guidance

Penalties

1. Illegal working penalties: quarterly totals
   • 31 May 2018
   • Guidance
2. Illegal working penalties: Wales and the South West
   • 31 May 2018
   • Guidance
3. Illegal working penalties: London and the South East
   • 20 June 2018
   • Guidance
4. Illegal working penalties: the Midlands and East
   • 31 May 2018
   • Guidance
5. Illegal working penalties: North East, Yorkshire and Humberside
   • 31 May 2018
   • Guidance
6. Illegal working penalties: Scotland and Northern Ireland
   • 31 May 2018
   • Guidance
7. Illegal working penalties: North West
   • 6 March 2018
   • Guidance

Published 22 January 2014
Last updated 14 June 2018 + show all updates

1. 14 June 2018 Updated illegal working penalties: totals for 1 October to 31 December 2017.
2. 25 April 2018 Added a link to new guidance for employers conducting right to work checks on undocumented Commonwealth citizens.
3. 6 March 2018 Updated illegal working penalties guidance.
4. 5 September 2016 Updated illegal working penalties guidance.
5. 28 September 2015 Updated guidance
6. 24 November 2014 added link to new online employer checking service form
7. 23 May 2014 New guidance added to collection
8. 23 May 2014 Added Statutory Excuse Checksheet
9. 22 January 2014 First published.