Your first employee is due to start on Monday. Their offer letter is ready and payroll is nearly set up. But could you show what right-to-work check was completed, when it happened and where the evidence is kept?
That question belongs in your hiring plan before the first shift. For a small business without a dedicated HR team, a simple evidence file helps make the task visible and repeatable. It supports the checking process; it cannot replace it.
Give the task an owner before the start date
Put the proposed start date and the person handling the check on your onboarding list. Reserve time to resolve questions before the person begins work. Do not rely on a general note saying “ID received”: it does not tell the next person what was checked or what action remains.
The government says employers must establish an applicant's permission to work before employing them. Start with GOV.UK's right-to-work page, then follow the current route and detailed guidance appropriate to the person's circumstances. Treat applicants consistently and avoid assumptions based on their name, appearance or accent.
Use the correct checking route
A share code is a way to access an online check, not the completed result. Where the online route applies, use the employer service rather than relying on the applicant's screenshot. The official checklist sets out how to check the result against the person and the work being offered.
Other circumstances require another prescribed route. Do not make one method your default for everyone: British and Irish citizens cannot obtain a right-to-work share code. Use the current employer checklist to work through the relevant steps rather than guessing from a previous hire.
Make the evidence retrievable
Create a restricted-access folder for the records you are required to retain. Add a short index showing the check date, route, checker and location of the supporting record. Keep the underlying evidence clear and complete. A spreadsheet saying “passed” is not a substitute for it.
For an online check, the official checklist describes retaining the result page, including the photograph and check date. It also explains how long the evidence should be kept. Build those retention requirements into your normal records policy, including secure deletion when appropriate.
Keep personal identity and immigration records out of general marketing folders, public links and casually shared spreadsheets. Give access only to those who need it for the task. If you delegate checking, make sure you can retrieve the evidence and understand what was actually completed.
Separate completion from follow-up
Your onboarding tracker needs more than a single tick box. Record whether a further check is required and assign responsibility for monitoring that date. If an outstanding application or another unusual situation affects the process, use the official instructions and obtain appropriate help rather than creating your own exception.
Once the file is complete, test it: could another authorised colleague find the record and understand the next action without searching through an inbox? Fix unclear filenames and missing ownership now.
Keep the guidance date alongside your process
The Home Office published its final updated employer guide on 1 October 2026. Use that current version for live decisions. Contractor chains, agencies and online platforms can involve additional scope questions; do not infer that the employee process alone settles every arrangement.
The UK Right to Work Checks Blueprint includes a Minimum Evidence File checklist, onboarding tools and labelled worked scenarios. Its source edition is dated 21 September 2026, so read it alongside the final October guidance, particularly where the book flags developing guidance or interpretation.
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General educational information, checked against official guidance on 18 October 2026. This is not personalised immigration or employment advice, and buying a guide does not guarantee compliance.