What Should Recruitment Agencies Do Before a Worker Starts an Assignment?

At SB Pay, we operate a robust onboarding and compliance process designed to engage workers efficiently while meeting legal and regulatory requirements. To help keep assignments moving, we’ve put together a checklist of the information and documentation we typically require when a worker is referred to us.

Information Required for All Workers

Before submitting a referral, agencies should ensure they have the following information available:

• Full name and contact details
• Assignment details, including the start date, pay rate and expected working hours
• Proof of identity
• Right to Work documentation. The appropriate Right to Work checks should be completed before the worker begins the assignment, in line with the legal requirements for the engagement.

Providing complete and accurate information from the outset helps minimise delays and allows onboarding and payroll to be processed as efficiently as possible.

Additional Requirements for Self-Employed/CIS Subcontractors

Where a worker has been assessed as genuinely self-employed and engaged under CIS, they will also need to provide:

• A valid Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) for HMRC verification
• Public Liability Insurance, where required for the assignment
• Relevant competency cards or qualifications, such as CSCS, CPCS, NPORS or ECS, where applicable

Having these documents ready before onboarding helps prevent unnecessary delays and allows work to commence without avoidable interruptions.

Helping Umbrella PAYE Workers Get Started

For workers engaged through an umbrella company, it is also beneficial to ensure they understand:

• The onboarding process and any documentation they will need to complete
• How and when to submit timesheets
• Payroll deadlines and expected payment dates
• Who to contact if they have payroll-related queries

Setting clear expectations before an assignment begins can significantly reduce avoidable questions and help workers feel confident from day one.

Why Preparation Matters

A well-prepared worker benefits everyone involved. It can lead to:

• Faster onboarding
• Fewer payroll delays
• Reduced administration for recruitment agencies
• A better experience for workers
• Greater confidence for end clients

At SB Pay, we work closely with recruitment agencies to make onboarding straightforward, payments accurate and contractor support responsive, whether workers are engaged through umbrella PAYE or as self-employed/CIS subcontractors.

If you’d like to learn more about our onboarding and compliance processes, please contact our Compliance Team at [email protected]. We’ll be happy to help.