Employers have a statutory duty to prevent illegal working and
must carry out certain checks to ensure employees have the right to
live and work in the UK. Temporary changes to right to work checks, in
place since 30 March 2020, have facilitated right to work checks
being carried out by prospective employees sending scanned copies
of compliant ID documents via email, followed by a confirmatory ID
video call.
As in pre-Covid times, employers also have the right where
eligible and with the employee's consent, to conduct right to
work checks online using the Home Office portal.
The temporary changes were due to end on 31 August 2021,
requiring employers to reinstate previous requirements to check and
document an employee's right to work. However, the UK Home
Office announced on 26 August 2021 that the temporary changes to
the right to work checks will remain in place until 5 April
2022.
