Right to work check

The check involves asking potential employees to provide evidence of their right to work in the UK.

You must:

1. Obtain an original identity document from the employee, as listed in the Home Office guidance.
2. Check the document.
3. Take a copy of the document and retain a copy.
4. Record the right to work check.
5. Carry out any necessary repeat checks.

You can use an online tool available on the GOV.UK website, which guides you through the types of evidence you can accept.

You could face a civil penalty if you employ an illegal worker and don't carry out the correct right to work checks. Therefore check all new employees and treat everyone the same, regardless of their place of birth or nationality.

---

Will Brexit affect Right to work checks?

As things currently stand, Brexit does not affect Right to work checks. There will be no change to the right to work of EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members living in the UK.

If there are any changes to the Right to Work checks, we'll update this guide accordingly.

---

List of acceptable documents

You can accept specific documents to demonstrate an employee's right to work.

Read more

---

Record details for a new employee

These details are included in a full payment submission (FPS) as Home Office Data.

1. Click Employee, then Employee Wizard or Quick Employee.
2. Enter the employee's details and complete all boxes marked with an asterisk *.
3. From the Have you conducted a Right To Work check?* drop-down, choose Yes.
   If you're an accountant or bookkeeper who processes payroll for another business, your client may record the right to work documents elsewhere.
4. Choose the document type and enter the relevant details.
5. Click Save, then Save or Finish.

The new employee appears in the Employee List.

Store a copy of the document

1. Double-click the relevant employee.
2. Click the Employment tab.
3. Next to Right To Work Details, click Enter Details.
4. Click Add Document, then Browse.
5. Locate and double-click the document.
6. Select to leave, copy or move the document.
7. Click OK.
8. Click Save, then click Save.

---

Record details for an existing employee

1. Double-click the relevant employee.
2. Click the Employment tab.
3. From the Right to Work drop-down, if applicable, select Yes.
4. Next to Right To Work Details, click Enter Details.
5. Click Add Document, then Browse.
6. Locate and double-click the document.
7. Select to leave, copy or move the document.
8. Click OK.
9. Click Save, then click Save.

---

Check Right to Work details

You can use the following report to view a list of your employees showing the Right to Work status, document type and expiry date.

1. Click the link below:
   Download Right to Work report >
   The file either automatically saves to your Downloads folder or you are prompted to save the file.
2. If prompted to save the file, browse to where you want to save it, for example, the Windows desktop, then click Save.
3. Open Sage 50 Payroll and log in, on the menu bar click File, then click Restore.
4. Click Next, if Data Files is selected, to clear the selection click Data Files.
5. Click Report Files, click Next, then click Browse.
6. Browse to where you saved the file, double-click the file PAYDL32.001, click Next, then click Finish.
7. Log into Sage 50 Payroll.
8. Your new report can be found in Reports, in the User Defined folder.

Useful links

• Check if someone can work in the UK
• Gov.uk right to work guidance
• Check a job applicant's right to work documents
• Check how to ask the Home Office to check an employee’s or potential employee’s immigration status