New to the UK > What is proof of the right to work?

What is proof of the right to work?

Wollit Team1 minute read · Updated 17th September 2024

To legally work in the UK, you must prove your right to work to your employer. This means showing proof of your immigration status and eligibility to work in the UK. Here is how it works and how you can prove this.

How do I prove my right to work if I’m a British or Irish citizen?

If you are a British or Irish citizen, you can prove your right to work by showing your employer:

A valid British passport, even if expired;
Or a valid Irish passport or passport card.

If you do not have a passport, you can use one of the following documents instead:

A UK or Irish birth or adoption certificate;
A certificate of registration or naturalisation as a British citizen.

You must also show an official letter or document from a previous employer or government agency that shows your name and National Insurance number. Some employers may allow you to prove your right to work online using an identity service provider (IDSP).

How do I prove my right to work if I'm not a British or Irish citizen?

If you are not a British or Irish citizen, you can prove your right to work by giving your employer:

A share code obtained online;
Or even your original immigration documents.

You can choose which option to use, and your employer cannot reject your application because you used a different method.

To get a share code online, you'll need:

Your biometric residence permit or card number;
Your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account details.

If you cannot use the online service, you can prove your right to work by showing your original immigration documents to your employer.

What else do employers check?

In the UK, particularly in certain sensitive sectors like finance, you may be asked for a credit check too. This gives your future employer an idea of how you handle money.

One of the ways to make sure you pass a credit check is to download a credit-building app like Wollit.

Wollit works by reporting a fixed fee monthly subscription as a loan repayment to the credit reference agencies (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion). This helps you build or rebuild your credit history by showing that you can pay debt on time.

It can even report your monthly rent payment to Experian, adding another line in your credit report that shows lenders and potential employers that you're responsible and pay your bills when they’re due. In time, this will help you improve your credit score so you won’t need to be worried about any credit check ever again.