A civil penalty for illegal working can cost your business up to £45,000 per worker.
A correctly conducted check establishes a statutory excuse against the penalty. If that excuse does not hold, liability can follow despite your good faith. ZH Law helps you challenge, reduce, or defend a civil penalty.
How much is a civil penalty for illegal working?
The Home Office can impose a penalty of up to £45,000 per worker for a first breach, and up to £60,000 per worker for a repeat breach. These are the starting maximums, and they can be reduced depending on your circumstances. The amounts are set per worker, so a single enforcement visit can produce a penalty running into six figures. From 1 October 2026, these rules extend beyond employees to agency, gig-economy and supply-chain workers.
Why this happens even to careful employers
- A right-to-work check was done, but not in the exact prescribed way
- Records weren't kept in the required format
- A follow-up check on time-limited permission was missed
- A document looked genuine but wasn't, and the check didn't establish a statutory excuse
The frustrating truth is that good intentions don’t create a defence. The right paperwork, done the right way, does.
How We Help
Consultation | £500 + VAT
- Choose this service
- Fill out a quick questionnaire
- Pay fees
- Send us your penalty notice and your right to work records
- We review everything
- Book your consultation (included in the fee)
- We advise you on your grounds to challenge and the likely cost of taking it further
- Best for: employers who've received a referral or penalty notice and need to know quickly where they stand
Civil Penalty Objection
- Send us your penalty notice and right to work records
- We assess your liability and give you a fixed quote before any fee is paid
- We prepare and submit your objection, arguing for the penalty to be reduced or cancelled
- We keep you updated through to the decision
- From £1,500 onwards
- Best for: employers challenging a penalty within the objection window
County Court Appeal
- Where your objection has been unsuccessful, send us the outcome and your file
- We assess the case and give you a fixed quote
- We prepare and represent your appeal to the County Court
- We keep you updated through to the hearing and decision
- From £4,000 onwards
- Best for: employers taking an unsuccessful objection to the County Court
We also handle right to work audits and statutory excuse reviews, illegal renting penalties, and mitigation representations. These are quoted after a short review.
Why ZH Law
- Direct access to a barrister, regulated by the Bar Standards Board
- 27+ years of experience, 5,000+ clients supported, £1M+ in damages won
- We handle both the immediate challenge and the compliance fixes that stop it happening again
- Offices in Leicester and London
Client testimonials
We are committed to delivering clear, practical advice and robust representation, with a focus on achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients.
Ready to Talk?
Your situation matters.
Planning to hire from overseas, or worried your current licence isn’t compliant? Book a consultation and we’ll map out what your business needs.