The launch of the Fair Work Agency
Claire Walford
The Fair Work Agency (FWA) was launched on 7 April 2026.
It is the Government’s new centralised agency responsible for enforcing employment rights, including the National Minimum Wage, holiday pay, and statutory sick pay. Operating under the Department for Business and Trade, it has the power to inspect, investigate and penalise businesses that do not uphold workers’ rights.
It replaces the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA); the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate; the National Minimum Wage enforcement team and the Office of the Director of Labour Market Enforcement to become the single point of contact for workers and employers can turn for help.
The FWA’s responsibilities include making sure:
- Workers are paid the National Minimum Wage and treated fairly by employment agencies
- Workers in agriculture and food are treated fairly by gangmasters (who provide workers to businesses)
- Workers are protected from serious labour exploitation and abuse, and those responsible are prosecuted
- Employers who ignore employment tribunal awards are fined and named
The FWA will aim to resolve issues upstream by supporting employers that want to comply with the law. But it will also have strong powers to investigate and take action against businesses that flout the law, to level the playing field for compliant businesses.
So what?
The FWA is seen as a positive development for strengthening UK worker protections and improving employment standards. It is a cornerstone of the Government’s Employment Rights Act.
For employers
If you are a business owner or manager, it is vital you keep abreast of your responsibilities. Take some time to:
- Review your compliance with existing employment rights (e.g. National Minimum Wage, holiday pay, agency worker regulations), and be aware of the recent changes in employment rights law you may need to take into account.
- Keep appropriate records to show that you are meeting your legal obligations as an employer.
- If you have a large workforce, especially causual or agency work, you may want to consider sharing information on worker rights with employees.
- Understand how to contact the FWA agency if you need guidance.
For workers (and those who support them)
The Low Pay Commission estimates that, in 2024, 19.4% of workers who should have been paid the minimum wage were underpaid, and other research suggests some sectors do not provide proper terms and conditions of work beyond verbal agreements or even text messages.
If you become aware of workers in your church or local community who are being treated unfairly, make sure they know what they are entitled to, how to self-advocate, and that the Fair Work Agency can help them take action. ACAS offers useful guidance, and the Just Good Work app provides helpful information to workers from abroad.
To find out more about the FWA, go to https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/fair-work-agency
