Right to Work Checks Now Cover Gig and Delivery Work: What Changed on 1 October 2026

6 min read October 2026Pravasi Editorial

Since 1 October 2026, UK right to work rules reach beyond traditional employees to cover more gig, subcontracted and platform work, with fines of up to £60,000 per illegal worker. If you are on a Student visa and thinking about delivery work, read this first.

What changed on 1 October 2026

Until now, right to work checks mainly applied to employees. From 1 October 2026, the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 extends the rules on illegal working to other working arrangements — including some people engaged as workers or individual subcontractors rather than employees, and work arranged through online matching services such as some app-based platforms. Businesses in these arrangements now need to make sure the people doing the work have the right to work in the UK. The new penalties apply to work that started on or after 1 October 2026.

What it means for businesses

A business that uses someone without the right to work can face a civil penalty of up to £60,000 for each illegal worker. Knowingly employing someone without permission to work — or having reasonable cause to believe they don't have it — is a criminal offence that can lead to up to 5 years in prison and an unlimited fine. Under the new rules, an online matching service can also be held responsible, which is why many platforms and delivery contractors are now checking far more carefully.

Students: you cannot be self-employed

This is the most important point for international students. GOV.UK is clear that on a Student visa you cannot be self-employed. Most food-delivery and courier app work is done on a self-employed basis — so taking it on while on a Student visa breaks your visa conditions, even if you stay within your weekly hours. If you want part-time work, look for jobs where you are on the payroll as an employee or worker, and stay within the hours limit shown on your visa (for most degree-level students, up to 20 hours a week in term time).

Renting someone else's delivery account

Some people are offered the chance to 'rent' or borrow another person's delivery app account. This does not make the work legal. If you do not have the right to do that work, you are working illegally — whoever's name is on the account. With platforms and contractors now facing large fines, accounts are increasingly checked, and being caught can affect your visa and any future application.

The risks for workers

Working illegally is itself a criminal offence in the UK. Beyond prosecution, the consequences can include losing your visa, having future visa applications refused, and having earnings from illegal work seized. It is never worth risking your studies or your future in the UK for a few extra shifts.

How to prove your right to work

If you are not a British or Irish citizen, you can prove your right to work with a share code, which you get online through GOV.UK's 'prove your right to work' service using your UKVI account, or with an eligible immigration document. You can choose which option to use, and an employer cannot refuse a valid document just because you did not give them a share code. Expired biometric residence permits are no longer accepted as proof, so make sure your eVisa and UKVI account are set up. If you have a pending application or appeal, an employer can ask the Home Office Employer Checking Service to confirm your status.

Finding legitimate work

Before accepting any job, check how you will be engaged — as an employee, a worker or self-employed — and whether that fits your visa. Ask the employer to carry out a proper right to work check; a legitimate employer will want to. Pravasi's jobs page lists roles with direct links to the employer or job board, including part-time hospitality, retail and warehouse roles.

Where to check

This guide reflects GOV.UK's employer's guide to right to work checks (1 October 2026), its guidance on penalties for employing illegal workers, and the Student visa conditions on GOV.UK, as of 30 October 2026. If you are unsure whether a job fits your visa, check gov.uk/student-visa or speak to your university's international student team or an adviser regulated by the OISC.

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