Revised Right to Work checks – 1st September 2021

Today, 18th June 2021, it was announced by the Home Office that the Coronavirus adjusted right to work checks will now remain in place until 1st September 2021.

Temporary adjustments to the process for checking individual rights to work in the UK will now end on 31st August 2021.

Previously ending on 21st June 2021, the revised date now means from 1st September employers must return to checking individuals’ original documents, rather than scans or photographs of the originals, or use the Home Office’s online right to work check tool. Checks must be performed in the physical presence of the individual or via a live video link, while the original documents are in the possession of the employer.

Additionally, the Home Office has confirmed that employers will not be required to carry out full right to work checks retrospectively where a Covid-19 adjusted check was carried out while the concessions were in force, between 30th March 2020 and 31st August 2021.

Where the worker’s right to work was time-limited, additional checks required after 1st September must be carried out under the usual rules.

Visit “Right to work checks: an employer’s guide” for more information