Manage your employees
- 1 step
UK Statutory Instrument
2010
United Kingdom
Agency Workers Regulations 2010
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
17 compliance obligations, 4 practical guides across 2 topics · 2 journeys
Penalty landscape
2 of 17 obligations carry a fine up to £5,000. 15 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Employer 14
- Any Person 2
- Trader 1
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Run a retail business
- 1 step
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Direct — cites this Act
1 guidesSupporting — topic alignment
3 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Employers also bound by 694 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- The Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003 2003 236 duties
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 1998 120 duties
- TULRCA 1992 1992 72 duties
- Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (current NI employment law) 1996 52 duties
- Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 2003 50 duties
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
Traders also bound by 826 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Value Added Tax Regulations 1995 1995 413 duties
- Companies Act 2006 2006 243 duties
- The Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 2008 114 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 62 duties
- Building Societies Act 1986 1986 56 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — General and Interpretation
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 2 — Rights
Rights of agency workers in relation to the basic working and employment conditions
Fine up to £5,000- Match agency workers' pay and conditions to permanent staff Employer
- Provide agency workers equal treatment after the qualifying period Employer
- Provide agency workers with the same basic terms as comparable employees Employer
Structure of assignments
- Do not structure agency assignments to avoid worker rights Employer
Rights of agency workers in relation to access to collective facilities and amenities
- Provide agency workers equal access to staff facilities Employer
Rights of agency workers in relation to access to employment
- Inform agency workers of comparable job vacancies Employer
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 3 — Liability, Protections and Remedies
Liability of temporary work agency and hirer
Fine up to £5,000- Ensure agency workers receive correct basic employment conditions Any Person
- Ensure agency workers receive equivalent basic working conditions Trader
- Obtain required information and apply basic working conditions for agency workers Employer
- Provide required information to temporary work agencies and ensure agency‑worker compliance Employer
- Share required employment information and apply basic conditions for agency workers Any Person
- Verify and apply correct working conditions for agency workers Employer
- Verify equal treatment information for agency workers Employer
Right to receive information
- Provide a written statement regarding agency worker rights and treatment Employer
- Provide requested information to agency workers within 28 days Employer
- Provide written information to agency workers upon request Employer
Liability of employers and principals
- Prevent staff from breaching agency worker rights Employer
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Restrictions on contracting out
Unfair dismissal and the right not to be subjected to detriment
Complaints to employment tribunals etc
Calculating a week's pay
Extension of time limit to facilitate conciliation before institution of proceedings
Part 4 — Special Classes of Person
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Part 5 — Amendments to legislation
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Schedules
Browse 58 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS
PROVISIONS EXTENDING TO ENGLAND AND WALES, SCOTLAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND
The following provisions of Schedule 2 to these Regulations extend...
Paragraphs 28 and 29, relating to the Transfer of Undertakings...
Paragraphs 30 to 38, relating to the European Cooperative Society...
Paragraphs 39 to 46, relating to the Companies (Cross-Border Mergers)...
The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992
In section 27(1) (protection of wages; sums included in “wages”),...
After section 57 insert— Ante-natal care: agency workers Right to...
After section 68 insert— Ending the supply of an agency...
After section 69 insert— Calculation of remuneration (agency workers) (1) The amount of remuneration payable by a temporary work agency...
After section 70 insert— Complaints to employment tribunals: agency workers...
In section 105 (redundancy as unfair dismissal) in subsection (1)(c)...
In section 108 (exclusion of right: qualifying period of employment)...
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
After regulation 17 insert— Certificate from registered medical practitioner in...
After regulation 18 insert— Notification by new or expectant mothers...
In section 70B (collective bargaining: training)— (a) after subsection (4)...
In regulation 20(1)(a) for “regulations 16-18”, substitute, “ regulations 16-18AB...
The Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004
In regulation 2 (interpretation) after the definition of—
After regulation 3 insert— Agency Workers (1) Paragraphs (2) and (3) apply to an agency worker...
After regulation 8 insert— Pre-existing agreements: agency workers Where information about the employment situation is to be provided...
In regulation 16(1), omit the “and” at the end of...
In regulation 16(1), after sub-paragraph (f) add— and
In regulation 20, paragraph (1), sub-paragraph (b), after “the situation,...
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006
In regulation 13, after paragraph (2) insert— Where information is to be supplied under paragraph (2) by...
In section 181(2) (general duty of employers to disclose information...
The European Cooperative Society (Involvement of Employees) Regulations 2006
In regulation 3 (interpretation) after the definition in paragraph (1)...
After regulation 6 insert— Agency Workers (1) Paragraph (2) applies to an agency worker whose contract...
In regulation 7, paragraph 2— (a) omit the “and” at...
After regulation 17, paragraph (5) insert— (6) Where under the...
After regulation 21, paragraph (3) insert— (3A) For the purposes...
In Schedule 1, paragraph 1— (a) omit the “and” at...
After Schedule 1, paragraph 11, sub-paragraph (4) add—
After Schedule 2, paragraph 6, sub-paragraph (3) insert— Where under sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) the competent organ of...
The Companies (Cross-Border Mergers) Regulations 2007
(1) Section 188(4), (disclosure for the purposes of consultation) is...
In regulation 3 (interpretation) after the definition in paragraph (1)...
After regulation 8, paragraph (2) insert— (2A) . . ....
After regulation 22, paragraph (1) insert— (1A) . . ....
After regulation 23(3) add— (4) . . . . ....
After regulation 29(2) insert— (2A) . . . . ....
After regulation 37, paragraph (2) insert— (2A) . . ....
After regulation 38(4) add— (5) Where under the standard rules...
The European Public Limited-Liability Company (Employee Involvement) (Great Britain) Regulations 2009
In regulation 3 (interpretation) after the definition in paragraph (1)—...
In regulation 5, paragraph (2)— (a) omit the “and” at...
In section 298 (minor definitions: general), after the entry relating...
After regulation 15, paragraph (3) insert— (3A) Where under the...
After regulation 19, paragraph (3) insert— (3A) This paragraph applies...
In the Schedule, Part 2, after paragraph 8 insert— Where under the provisions of this Part, the competent organ...
In section 299 (index of defined expressions), insert in the...
(1) Schedule A1 is amended as follows.
The Employment Tribunals Act 1996
The Employment Rights Act 1996
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- GOV.UK: gangmaster's licence (opens in a new tab) from Fair Work Agency Publication
- HSE: display screen equipment (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
- GOV.UK: running an employment agency (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Agency workers: your rights (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Agency workers - guidance for hirers (opens in a new tab) Publication
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Fair Work Agency
PrimaryUnified labour market enforcement body for Great Britain. Takes over National Minimum Wage enforcement from HMRC, enforces statutory sick pay and holiday …
HM Courts and Tribunals Service — Employment Tribunals
Statutory tribunal enforcing individual employment-rights legislation across Great Britain. Hears complaints under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (unfair dismissal, written particulars, time …
Connected legislation
parent Act
These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.
Made under
Employment Rights Act 2025 2025 Primary Act
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