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Guidance

Agency Workers Regulations 2010: guidance for recruiters

Guidance for hirers of agency workers and the recruitment sector to understand the new Agency Workers Regulations.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Department for Business and Trade, Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
Published:
27 May 2011
Last updated:
25 March 2026
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  1. Introduction and section 7 edited to remove future tense references to the repeal of the Swedish derogation as this change took effect from 6 April 2020. This includes removal of 'New amendments to the legislation' section from Introduction and 'Terminating a Swedish derogation contract' from section 7.

  2. Guidance updated to reflect the repeal of the 'Swedish derogation' or 'pay between assignments' contracts, which comes into force in April 2020.

  3. First published.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Documents

Agency Workers Regulations 2010: guidance

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This guidance aims to help hirers of agency workers and the recruitment sector to understand the Agency Workers Regulations that came into force on 1 October 2011. It covers the main provisions of the regulations with illustrative examples.

The regulations give agency workers the entitlement to the same or no less favourable treatment for basic employment and working conditions, if they complete a qualifying period of 12 weeks in a particular job.

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