Right to work checks

Get to grips with how to carry out these required pre-employment checks to verify a person's right to work in the UK.

Last reviewed on 5 December 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 11413
Contents
  1. You must carry out these checks
  2. How to carry out the checks
  3. How Brexit impacts these checks 

You must carry out these checks

As part of pre-employment checks for staff employed by your school, you must verify a person's right to work in the UK (including EU nationals).

This is set out in paragraph 232 of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2023.

How to carry out the checks

You can either:

  • Check online, if the applicant has given you their share code (this is only possible for some applicants)

Follow GOV.UK guidance to help you carry out either type of check, or use the Home Office's Employer's right to work checklist.

Note: temporary measures introduced because of COVID-19 have now come to an end. You can't accept digital, scanned copies of documents and use video calls as part your right to work checks. 

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