Reform’s right to work proposals are ‘divisive soundbites’ Vanessa Ganguin tells Personnel Today

7 August 2026

Reform UK announced that if it formed a government in the UK, it would pay members of the public for tip-offs that led to successful prosecutions of immigrants working without permission. In a new article in Personnel Today, Vanessa Ganguin explained why she thinks the proposals are unworkable and discriminatory.

“The Home Office’s UK Visas and Immigration already takes an intelligence-based approach and acts on tips from the public,” explained Vanessa. “With eVisas digitalising right-to-work checks for many workers, UK employers have no excuse not to conduct proper right-to-work checks.

“These give you a statutory excuse to protect from massive fines – which should be enough of an incentive already. Where a business unlawfully employs a worker, they may be subject to a civil penalty of up to £60,000 per worker, and licensed sponsors may lose their licence to sponsor immigrant workers – which can be crippling. Knowingly breaching illegal working rules can already result in prison sentences both for an employer and their worker.

Employers already have to contend with a massive expansion of right-to-work responsibilities under the Labour government to make companies liable for the right to work of subcontractors and those working for them through online matching services. This will come into force from 1 October 2026. This measure has, in part, been brought in to reflect the gig economy and modern ways in which people work.

The big names like Deliveroo have already got on board ahead of the changes this autumn, so Reform UK calling their announcement a “Deliveroo Law” is rather unfair and, no pun intended, but I’m afraid they have missed the boat.

The autumn expansion of right to work responsibilities means further outsourcing of the UK’s immigration checks. What Reform UK is proposing is ridiculous and unnecessary and would only embolden anyone with a prejudice to indulge it, as members of the public are not privy to the right-to-work checks that HR departments have carried out.”

A significant update to UK right to work checks comes into force on 1 October 2026. It may substantially change processes and policies organisations need to have in place to maintain right to work and sponsor licence compliance. From 1 October 2026 UK right to work checks and liability for failing to prevent illegal working expand beyond traditional employment to cover subcontractors, gig workers and supply chains. ID checks become more important, part of a raft of arrangements organisations can put in place to protect themselves from a new “extended liability”.

Vanessa Ganguin is one of the most highly regarded experts in UK immigration law, with three decades of specialist experience.

She is recommended by Chambers & Partners UK, Chambers High Net Worth Guide, Legal 500 Hall of Fame and Lexology (formerly Who’s Who Legal) as a Thought Leader in commercial and personal immigration.

According to Chambers & Partners UK, “Vanessa Ganguin is especially knowledgeable in the handling of immigration matters for entertainment industry clients. Her work includes securing Creative Worker visas, as well as providing sponsor licence compliance advice.”

Vanessa often writes in a wide variety of publications on a range of UK immigration issues.