Physical right to work checks on track for September 1st return

New resources being deployed by the Home Office to help employers with physical right to work checks is a sign that a campaign to keep the checks digital from September has failed.

In fact, while the official covid-19 hub still shows August 31st as the final day for virtual checks, a new Home Office video warns of a £20,000 penalty for ducking the manual checks.

And on top of the video uploaded by officials on August 2nd, ministers have also confirmed their intention to return to face-to-face checking for work eligibility from September 1st, according to the Better Hiring Institute’s Keith Rosser. 

'Home Office exploring tech options'

A vocal supporter of the checks keeping the digital concession, which was granted due to the pandemic making in-person contact a health risk, Mr Rosser still sounds optimistic that modernisation is incoming.

“The Home Office are working on technology options,” the campaigner and Reed compliance director said. “[But these] are not likely to take effect from September 1st.”

In a last-ditch attempt to change the government’s mind, 50 employers will hold an online event championing digital right to work checks on Thursday August 12th.

'Not right to return to in-person checks'

To be chaired by a member of the House of Lords who backs the checks staying digital, the online event will culminate with a submission to ministers to approve the “sensible” update.

“[Amid a] severe candidate shortage, in-person checks [returning] will make this much worse,” Mr Rosser also said, posting online. “It [is not] right for businesses, and for security, that we return to less secure in-person checks.”