Angela Rayner’s new workers’ rights agency handed powers to arrest and use ‘reasonable force’

Dan McDonald
Thu, 09 Apr 2026 02:50:10 +0000

Labour’s new Fair Work Agency will have the power to arrest suspects and use “reasonable force” under fresh employment legislation.

The body - dubbed the “jobs police” - can carry out surprise workplace inspections and enter premises without consent by securing warrants under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

Government documents confirm officials may use force “where reasonable and necessary” to enforce the new Employment Rights Act.

The agency also has the power to search individuals, seize materials and detain those suspected of labour market offences.

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

Angela Rayner championed the legislation before stepping down as Deputy Prime Minister last year.

The FWA is responsible for enforcing a range of workplace protections, including minimum wage rules, modern slavery laws, holiday entitlement and sick pay.

Ministers have instructed the body to identify areas where “legislative, operational or strategic changes may be required”, while also exploring “future remit expansion”.

The agency has been handed an annual budget of £60.1million - more than £12million higher than the combined funding of its predecessor bodies.

Officials say the increase reflects the additional regulations introduced under the new law.

Business leaders have voiced concern about the scale of the agency’s authority.

Alex Hall-Chen, from the Institute of Directors, said: “The Fair Work Agency will already have significantly broader powers than the enforcement bodies it has replaced, such as the authority to enter business premises without a warrant.”

She added that the instruction to expand its remit “could extend its powers beyond its original purpose without proper scrutiny or consultation with business".

THE LABOUR PARTY - READ THE LATEST:

Keir Starmer accused of Chagos-style handover of Britain's electricity to the EU in Brexit betrayal

Labour under pressure to close major driving licence loophole

Leon declares 'the high street is dead' as Labour ‘kills the restaurant industry' with tax burden

Tina McKenzie, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Small businesses are already facing an enormous amount of change through the Employment Rights Act.”

She continued: “What they need from the Agency right now is clear guidance and compliance support and not the prospect of a broader enforcement reach down the line.”

Ms McKenzie noted that as Britain grapples with a record tribunal backlog, “the priority must be getting the basics right first.”

Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith said: “The remit letter simply confirms it will inevitably seek to add more staff and more red tape, raising unemployment still further.

"This is clearly a blank cheque to expand its powers.”

He added: “Conservatives will scrap this unwarranted body and give its staff first-hand experience of finding a new job!”

The Employment Rights Act marks the biggest overhaul of workplace protections in a generation, with ministers claiming more than 15 million workers - around half the UK workforce - stand to benefit.

Changes include day-one entitlement to sick pay and a simplified process for bringing unfair dismissal claims.

The FWA can issue financial penalties to non-compliant firms and bring tribunal cases on behalf of workers.

However, industry figures warn the reforms could trigger a surge in claims, piling further pressure on an already stretched tribunal system.

A Government spokesman said it was “simply bringing existing powers into one place to ensure businesses know where to turn and spend less time on bureaucracy".

They added: “The Fair Work Agency is there to take action when needed against rogue employers who undercut the vast majority of businesses who comply with the law. That's fair for workers, and creates a level-playing field for businesses too.”