Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the evidential basis is for requiring private hire operators to conduct right to work checks on drivers.

From 1 October, the Government’s changes to the Right to Work Scheme will come into force. Under these, changes organisations that engage individuals to provide work or services under their company name, including operators in the taxi and private hire vehicle sector, will have a clearer, legal responsibility to prevent illegal working.

Historically, these labour market models have presented challenges for enforcement because accountability for compliance of the legal requirement to prevent illegal working has not been clearly defined and instance of illegal working have been identified. The Government published an assessment of the impact of the measures during the passage of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 as well as a response to the public consultation on implementation on GOV.UK:

Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK

Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025: enactment impact assessment - GOV.UK

Extending the Right to Work Scheme - GOV.UK

Returns from the UK and enforcement activity - GOV.UK

The Department will continue to monitor the effect of the measures and publish assessments and data on illegal working and enforcement activity.

While local authority licensing checks form an important part of the existing system, reliance on these checks alone has created ambiguity as to where accountability rests if illegal working is identified, particularly where services are provided through intermediary or platform-based models. The approach being taken provides clarity and consistency, ensuring that responsibility sits with the organisation engaging the individual to provide work or services.