Right to Work (RTW)

Modified on Fri, 28 Jul, 2023 at 1:16 PM

What is Right to Work (RTW)

To be able to work in the UK a person must have a 'Right to Work'. This status is automatic if they are a British Citizen. If they are not a British Citizen they will need to apply for the right to work in the UK. It is then the UK government who will decide whether to grant a person with the right to work in the UK.

A person's right to work status can also determine the amount of time they can work in the UK as well as they types of jobs they can have.

A person automatically has the right to work in the UK if:

They are a British or Irish citizen
They have pre-settled status from the EU settlement Scheme or have applied and are waiting for a decision
They have a family permit from the EU settlement scheme
They have indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK
They have a right to abode in the UK
They may have a right to work in the UK if they have a visa with a time limit. This is called having 'limited leave to enter or remain’

How does a person know if they are a British Citizen?

They have a British Parent
They were born in the UK or a British overseas territory
They born in the UK before 1983

Employers cannot allow a person to work for them unless they have obtained satisfactory evidence that they have permission to work in the UK. If an employer does not obtain the proof that a person has a right to work in the UK then they can face a 'civil penalty'. This can result in 5 years in prison and an unlimited fine. Employers can face this fine if they employ a person who:

Did not have leave (permission) to enter or remain in the UK
Their leave had expired
They were not allowed to do certain types of work
Their papers were correct

*Llama id is a service provider and data processor. Data is collated from multiple databases and bureaus. This data is then used to provide each organisation with satisfactory proof that a person has the right to work in the UK. But the final decision on a person's right to work lies with the organisation.*