Employ someone: step by step - GOV.UK
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Employ someone: step by step
Check what you need to do to recruit and employ someone to work for you.
Step
Check this process is right for you
Follow these steps if you're taking on someone with the employment status of 'employee'.
Check who counts as an employee
There are other steps you may need to take first if you have not employed someone before.
Get ready to employ someone for the first time
The rules are different if you want to take on someone with another type of employment status, such as agency staff, freelancers, consultants and contractors.
Check your responsibilities when you take on someone with a different employment status and contract type
Step
Recruit someone
You need to advertise the role and interview candidates. You can use a recruitment agency to do this or do it yourself.
Find out about recruiting someone yourself on Acas
As an employer you must make sure you recruit employees fairly.
Avoid discrimination during recruitment
Make your application process accessible for employees with disabilities or health conditions
and
Check they have the right to work in the UK
Find out how to check an applicant's right to work
and
Find out which DBS check is right for your employee
You may need to check if someone has a criminal record, for example, if they'll be working in healthcare or with children. This is known as a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Find out which DBS check is right for your employee
How to do a DBS check
Step
Check if they need to be put into a workplace pension
If you’re employing someone for the first time, use The Pensions Regulator’s tool to find out what you need to do
If you already employ people, check your ongoing duties on The Pensions Regulator website
Step
Agree a contract and salary
When someone accepts a job offer they have a contract with you as their employer.
Check what the National Minimum Wage is for different ages
Check what the National Minimum Wage is for different types of work
Check what to include in a contract
Agree a written statement of employment particulars
Step
Tell HMRC about your new employee
You must tell HMRC about your new employee on or before their first pay day.
Tell HMRC about a new employee
Get their personal details and P45 to work out their tax code
If you do not have their P45, use HMRC’s ‘starter checklist’
Check what to do when you start paying your employee
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