Fair Work Agency now enforces minimum wage and agency worker rights
Published Checked by Edward Owusu
At a glance
What changed
A new government body, the Fair Work Agency, started work on 7 April 2026. It brings together the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, the Director of Labour Market Enforcement, the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate and HMRC's National Minimum Wage unit. The government says this ends a fragmented system of employment rights enforcement.
Who it affects
All workers in the UK, including care workers and others on sponsored visas, and employers and employment agencies.
When it starts
The Fair Work Agency began operating on 7 April 2026.
What it does not change
HMRC still carries out National Minimum Wage enforcement, now on behalf of the Fair Work Agency. Visa rules and sponsor duties are still handled by the Home Office.