Procedure for new claims payments

Responsibility of Claimant

1. Individuals must complete a starter form PD81 – ie all of sections A to D and sign the declaration in section E - authorised by an appropriate manager, before any payments can be made through payroll. This form gives essential information which the University requires for payroll and tax purposes and for HESA and equal opportunities monitoring.

Responsibility of College/Service

2. The employing College/Service should check that sections A to D have been completed fully and accurately and then complete all sections of Part F, including:

  • College/Service
  • work location (required for payslip addressing and for HESA purposes)
  • work type (required for HESA purposes)
  • HESA cost centre (required for HESA purposes)
  • confirmation that original documents have been checked and copied in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act (see paragraph 2.4 below and the Human Resources Proof of right to work web pages)

3. The form will be returned to the employing unit if essential information is omitted (thereby delaying payment of any claims submitted by the individual).

4. The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act requires the University to:

  • verify a new worker’s right to work in this country by checking and copying certain documents; and
  • for workers whose right to work in the UK is time-limited, to repeat this check on an annual basis.

This requirement applies to all new workers, irrespective of their nationality, and whether they are employed on a contract or on a claims basis. (It does not apply to individuals engaged on a self-employed basis.) The checks should be undertaken before the individual commences work with the University.

For individuals engaged on a claims basis, the manager who is responsible for engaging them and authorising their work should ensure that these documents* are checked and copied. The individual should not start work until they have produced evidence of their right to work in the UK.

The Act requires that you make a copy of the relevant page(s) of the document in a format which cannot be altered (for example, a photocopy or scan) and that the copies of the documents are kept securely for the duration of the person’s employment and for a further two years after they stop working for the University.
Failure to comply with these statutory requirements – including the requirement to retain copies of documents – could lead to a civil penalty of up to £10,000 per illegal worker and the revocation of the University’s licence to employ staff from outside the European Economic Area under Tier 2 of the Points Based System.

5. Upon receipt of a completed and authorised PD81 form, the Payroll Office will assign the individual to a ‘position’ in the employing College/Service in Trent HR. If the individual works for more than one College/Service then an additional position will need to be created, so a further PD81 form must be submitted.

Responsibility of Human Resources

6. Within Trent HR, individuals paid by claim will be assigned to a ‘position’ in the College or Service which engages and pays them. This will give the employing College/Service access to data recorded on Trent HR about individuals they have engaged on a claims basis. The position will remain ‘open’ until the College/Service notify the Payroll Office in Human Resources that the individual is no longer working for them, allowing the position to be ended.

7. An individual will be able to hold a number of claims positions in the University. For example, a postgraduate student may do some teaching work for their College (one position) and casual bar work in the evenings and at weekends for Campus Services (second position).

* For examples of documents and visa stamps which give evidence of an individual’s right to work in the UK when checking an individual’s right to work documentation, see the UKBA guidance for employers on preventing illegal working.