Right to work checks for construction firms
Since 1 October 2026, right to work rules cover more than employees. They can now cover CIS subbies and labour supplied through a chain. Two free tools to help you get it right.
Which documents do I need?
Answer 5 quick questions. Find out if a check is needed by law, the exact steps, the GOV.UK links and what record to keep.
Fine calculator
See what a civil penalty could cost, using the Home Office's own figures: £45,000 per worker for a first breach, £60,000 for a repeat.
The free official route. You can do every right to work check yourself, free, on GOV.UK. Start at Checking a job applicant's right to work. For a share code, use Check a job applicant's right to work: use their share code. If the person cannot show their status, use Use the Employer Checking Service.
What changed on 1 October 2026
- The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 (section 48) widened who counts as an "employer" for right to work checks.
- It now includes people you take on as an individual sub-contractor, and people on a worker's contract.
- If you have a contract to do work for someone else and use other firms to supply the people, you can be liable too. This is called extended liability.
- The new rules are not backdated. They apply to deals made on or after 1 October 2026. There is no grace period.
Source: Right to work checks: an employer's guide (1 October 2026) and the Code of practice.
Read the full guide for subcontractors
Want us to handle it?
Sovereign Plus runs CIS payroll for construction firms. Let us check your gang's right to work as part of payroll, keep the records, and remind you before follow-up checks are due.
One thing to know: Home Office guidance says a check only protects you if you do it, someone working under your control does it, or it is done through a registered digital checking provider (an RtW DVSP). Ask us how we set this up for your firm.
Last checked against GOV.UK: .