Is the Home Office planning to move away from the physical BRP Card?

 

According to the Home Office, it plans in 2024 to move away from the physical BRP card as proof of a right to rent and to live in the UK. Instead it is moving towards a fully digital system. We share the following statement from the Home Office:

“The border and immigration system is undergoing an end-to-end transformation. We are moving away from a complex system reliant on people proving their rights through physical documents that are sometimes decades old, to a streamlined system that is digital by default. The ambition is to achieve this by the end of 2024.”

What does this mean for employers and landlords?

Earlier, both employers and landlords were able to accept BRP cards as proof of a persons right to rent and right to work in the UK under the Right to Rent Scheme and Right to Work scheme.

Details of using the Right to Rent Scheme as a landlord can be found here – https://www.gov.uk/check-tenant-right-to-rent-documents

Details of using the Right to Work Scheme as an employer can be found here – https://www.gov.uk/check-job-applicant-right-to-work

When did the change commence?

These changes commenced from 6 April 2022. Employers and landlords who have hired or rented out since this date must use the digital service and the two schemes as proof of rights in the UK. However, we have been hearing reports of landlords and employers who are hesitant to use this digital check. This is because it may be too much work for them.

Employers and landlords do not have to retrospectively check the Right to Rent or Right to Work of employees or tenants if they have been hired or rented to since 6 April 2022.

For more information:

Please contact: [email protected].  Evellyn  can be reached on 0044 207 427 5293