5 Compliance Areas UK Temp Agencies Often Overlook (and How To Fix Them)

In UK temporary recruitment, compliance is becoming more difficult to navigate every year. Agencies must juggle Right to Work checks, GDPR, AWR pay rates, and more. Failure to comply with any of these regulations risks not only hefty penalties but also loss of client trust and even potential closure of the agency.

Beyond financial consequences, compliance missteps can severely damage your reputation. Clients rely on agencies to deliver not just talent, but fully compliant and reliable staffing solutions. Any legal blemish erodes that trust quickly.

Here are five compliance areas that UK temp agencies often overlook, with tips and tools to help you close the gaps, avoid fines, and safeguard your business without slowing your operations.

In the UK, Right to Work checks are legally required, and failure to conduct them correctly can lead to fines of up to £60,000 per illegal worker. Despite recent updates allowing digital verification, many agencies still rely on in-person checks and outdated spreadsheets, leaving room for human error and delays.

Rocket Recruitment simplifies this through our e-Registration system, integrated with TrustID for seamless digital Right to Work checks. Candidates can upload their documents via a mobile app, enabling verification anytime, anywhere. Agencies like Affinity Workforce Solutions have significantly reduced paperwork and delays by switching to Rocket, protecting themselves against costly errors that could derail operations.

Data Protection (GDPR)

Handling candidate and client data means GDPR compliance is non-negotiable. UK GDPR requires secure storage and access control for personal information, and breaches can cost up to 4% of your turnover or £17.5 million. But beyond fines, breaches can destroy client relationships; around 33% of UK firms report losing clients after a data incident.

Rocket’s CRM provides secure document storage with strict access controls, version tracking, and full visibility of data access history. You can instantly generate audit reports and prove compliance. Whether it's passports, DBS checks, or contracts, all documents are stored securely, reducing the risk of data mishandling and reinforcing client trust.

Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) 

Temporary workers gain equal pay and basic working rights after 12 weeks in the same role but tracking this qualifying period manually can be near impossible in fast-paced agencies. Missing the 12-week deadline for pay parity can lead to legal claims and loss of client contracts.

Rocket’s CRM automates this process by recording candidate start dates and issuing alerts when they reach the AWR threshold. This guarantees that you align with pay regulations without manual oversight, protecting your agency from financial and reputational damage.

Document Management & Tracking 

Certificates, licenses, and compliance documents are constantly expiring, and poor tracking can result in illegal placements. The manual chase of documents increases admin time and introduces unnecessary risk.

Rocket’s e-Registration and CRM allow candidates to upload documents via your branded mobile app. The system then automatically tracks expiry dates and sends reminders for renewals. Rutledge Group uses this functionality to process candidates faster and ensure full compliance. By automating document collection and tracking, you avoid expired credentials slipping through and streamline the entire candidate journey.

Audit Trails & Reporting 

Even if your compliance processes are strong, you still need proof. Many agencies fail to maintain proper audit trails, making EAS inspections or client audits stressful and time-consuming.

Rocket generates real-time compliance reports and logs every user action from document uploads to contract approvals. This ensures you're always audit-ready. Fusion Staffing reported that since adopting Rocket, "Compliance is seamless, bookings are effortless." Likewise, the Rutledge Group praised Rocket for streamlining their onboarding and compliance workflows.

The S4S Team is another powerful case study. Before Rocket, they juggled compliance across multiple systems, risking costly oversights. After adopting Rocket, they passed an EAS inspection with zero advisories, onboarded 18 clients in just six months, and increased billed hours by 29.5%. Co-founder Ryan Scott called it a "game-changer" that turned compliance from a burden into a competitive edge.

Take Action Now

Non-compliance can cost your agency hundreds of thousands in penalties and lost business. Rocket Recruitment brings all your compliance needs into one platform from automated Right to Work checks and GDPR-safe storage to AWR tracking, expiry reminders, and audit reporting.

Stop letting paperwork slow you down. Book a demo today and discover how Mobile Rocket helps agencies transform compliance from a headache into a streamlined, scalable advantage.

Book a Free demo with our team.