Right to Work
As a result of changes to the law made by the Government in the Immigration Act 2016, from 1 December 2016 anyone applying for grant or renewal of a Hackney Carriage, Private Hire, or Joint Driver's licence or a Private Hire Operator Licence must have the right to work in the UK, and the Council must check that this applies to every applicant before issuing or renewing a licence.
This applies to all licence holders regardless of where they were born, how long they have lived in the UK and, if they already hold a licence, how long they have held it for.
The application will only be able to progress if the applicant provides the correct original documentation (as specified by the Home Office) showing a right to work in the UK. The Home Office Right to Work Documentation List can be accessed here.
If there are restrictions on the length of time you may work in the UK, your licence will not be issued for any longer than this period. In such circumstances, the check will be repeated each time you apply to renew or extend your licence. If, during this period, you are disqualified from holding a licence because you have not complied with the UK's immigration laws, your licence will lapse and you must return it to the licensing authority, failure to do so is a criminal offence.
Once granted a licence, the drivers are issued a badge which is valid for three years. The driver's badge will display their photograph, name, badge number, and expiry date of the licence and must be displayed around the driver's neck at all times whilst working.
Download