You are looking at a civil penalty notice from the Home Office. The figure may be tens of thousands of pounds. The language is dense, the deadline is not immediately obvious, and you are not sure whether this is the final word or the beginning of a process.
What is a Home Office civil penalty notice?
A civil penalty is a financial sanction imposed on employers who are alleged to have employed workers without the right to work in the UK. Under the Code of Practice that came into force on 13 February 2024, penalties start at up to £45,000 per worker for a first breach, and up to £60,000 per worker for a repeat breach within three years.
A penalty can be issued even where an employer did not intend to breach the rules. Technical gaps in right-to-work check processes, rather than deliberate wrongdoing, are often what triggers a notice.
What does the 28-day window mean?
You have 28 days from the date on the notice to submit a formal objection. If you miss this period, your options become significantly more limited. An appeal to the county court remains possible in certain circumstances, but an in-time objection is almost always the stronger route.
What grounds can an objection be based on?
An objection may succeed where you are not liable, where the penalty was calculated incorrectly, or where you have a statutory excuse by completing the prescribed right to work checks correctly and retaining compliant evidence. Even where some liability exists, strong mitigation can lead to a meaningful reduction in the penalty amount.
For businesses that also hold a sponsor licence, a civil penalty finding can prompt further consequences, including licence suspension. Addressing the penalty correctly and promptly matters beyond the immediate fine.
What should you do now?
1. Record the exact deadline
The 28 days run from the date on the notice, not the date you received it. Calculate your deadline immediately.
2. Preserve all relevant records
Gather every document related to the workers named in the notice. Right to work check records, share code results, identity document copies, contracts, and any follow-up checks. Do not discard anything.
3. Do not submit an objection without legal advice
The structure of your objection matters. An objection that fails to address the correct statutory grounds can weaken your position in any subsequent appeal. Early advice gives you the strongest foundation.
How ZH Law can help
We advise employers across London and Leicester on civil penalty notices, assessing liability, reviewing right to work records, drafting objections, and representing businesses through the challenge process where needed.
Mr. Zainul Jafferji has over 27 years of experience in immigration and public law. We understand the pressure these notices create, and we work to the deadline, not around it.
Received a civil penalty notice? Your 28-day window is running.
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📞 London: 0203 887 7306 | Leicester: 0116 365 6400 | enquiries@zh-law.co.uk
This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, please contact ZH Law.
