On Sunday, the government announced an extension of Right to Work (RTW) checks to businesses hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers, which we covered here. Just two days later, it released a report – an essential safeguard against illegal working.

Key Findings from the Report

Commissioned by the Home Office and conducted by Verian, the study surveyed 2,152 businesses across various industries in September 2024, with 30 follow-up interviews providing deeper insights. Here’s an overview of what it found:

1. High awareness, patchy understanding – While 89% of employers claim to be aware of RTW checks, far fewer understand exactly how to conduct them correctly. The biggest confusion? Rules around agency and zero-hours workers—no surprise given the recent law change!
2. Over-reliance on third parties – Some employers wrongly believe they can outsource RTW checks entirely. 81% of surveyed businesses using agency workers assumed recruitment agencies were responsible for conducting checks which is entirely understandable given that there is currently no legal obligation to conduct right to work checks on workers (only on employees).
3. Confusion over digital checks – Many employers aren’t keeping up with online verification. Despite all the available technology, 79% still rely primarily on manual methods. 37% of those surveyed use the Home Office online service and 23% use Identity Service Providers (IDSPs).
4. Compliance is inconsistent – Many businesses fail to check the right...

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