Practical guidance for Devon businesses. Plain English, no legal advice.
The Fair Work Agency launched in April 2026 with new powers to inspect Devon employers. Here is what it does, who it targets, and how to prepare before it arrives.
The April 2026 rate change to £12.71 lands during the Fair Work Agency's first inspection year. Common Devon errors, accommodation offset, sleep-in shifts, and how to calculate arrears before the agency does.
Online share codes, BRP holders, EU nationals post-Brexit, follow-up dates and the £60,000 penalty for getting it wrong. The check you do today is what the inspector reads three years from now.
The 52-week reference period. Why 12.07 per cent stopped being right in 2022. Rolled-up pay rules from 2024. Why care, hospitality and salons are most exposed, and how to calculate arrears.
What "suitable and sufficient" means in practice. What Section 156 of the Building Safety Act changed in October 2023 about recording. Fire doors, evacuation plans and what Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service look at.
ICO registration, privacy notices, subject access requests, the 72-hour breach rule, and the new question every small business needs to answer in 2026: what happens to the data your staff put into AI tools at work.
The DSE Regulations do not exempt home workers. Kitchen-table setups, laptop-only working, paying for eye tests, video-assisted assessments and what to do when a hybrid worker reports neck pain.
CQC Safe key question and the physical compliance underneath it. Sleep-in pay after Mencap. Sponsored worker right to work follow-ups. NLW for care assistants. Why the Devon care sector is exposed and what local support looks like.
Chair rental versus genuine self-employment. COSHH for salon chemicals. Occupational dermatitis. PAT for dryers, straighteners and UV lamps. GDPR for booking systems. Fire risk in a small salon space.
Fire risk assessment, gas safety, EICR, PAT and Legionella. The 2026 short-term let registration scheme and what Devon owners need to do. Hot tubs, infrequent use periods, and the insurer's checklist.
What an Environmental Health Officer looks at. How a 3 turns into a 5 in the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. HACCP for a small cafe. Natasha's Law PPDS labelling. Temperature records, training records and pest evidence.
Pick the area, book the visit, get a written record.