Liability
We check whether the business is legally liable for the alleged breach and whether the Home Office has made a factual or procedural error.
Have you received a Civil Penalty Notice? You are at the Home Office objection stage. This page explains the normally 28-day deadline, the available grounds of objection and the evidence an employer should submit. If you have only received a Home Office visit or Referral Notice, read our immediate post-visit guide. If the Home Office has already decided your objection, see our County Court appeal guide for England and Wales.
Tell us what is on the notice
- What is the due date specified in the notice?
- How many workers are named?
- Does the business hold a sponsor licence?
Deadline inside 7 days? Same-week preparation is available. Call 0203 524 5439.
Not sure the objection route is right? Start with a civil penalty defence review.
You have received a civil penalty notice from the Home Office for employing a person who it says did not have the right to work in the UK. The financial exposure can be severe. Since 13 February 2024, the maximum civil penalty has been up to £45,000 per worker for a first breach and up to £60,000 per worker for a repeat breach.
An objection is not a general complaint. It is a formal legal response that needs to address liability, statutory excuse, mitigation and evidence in a way the Home Office can apply under the current illegal working civil penalty framework.
The notice must also identify the particular section 15(1) ground relied on. The Supreme Court confirmed this requirement in Akbars Restaurant [2026] UKSC 26. Read what the Akbars decision means for employers.
When this service is the right fit
This page is for employers who are still within the objection stage. It may be right for you if:
- you have received a civil penalty notice and must object within 28 days from the due date specified in the notice
- you believe the Home Office has identified the wrong employer or misunderstood the facts
- you carried out right to work checks and need to argue statutory excuse
- you accept there may be a problem but the penalty amount is too high
- your sponsor licence, recruitment systems or commercial reputation may be affected by the finding
What the objection needs to deal with
Statutory excuse
We review right to work checks, records, dates and follow up checks to assess whether a complete defence is available.
Penalty amount
Where cancellation is not realistic, we focus on mitigation, cooperation, reporting and compliance evidence to reduce the penalty.
How NA Law Solicitors prepares the objection
We review the penalty notice, referral history, employment records, right to work documents, Home Office correspondence and any sponsor licence implications. We then prepare a structured written objection supported by the evidence that matters most.
The submission is drafted to preserve the strongest available arguments. Where there is a realistic risk that the Home Office may maintain the penalty, we also consider how to protect the later appeal route to the County Court.
You must object to the Home Office before you can appeal. An objection is a precondition to bringing an appeal. NA Law’s linked County Court appeal service is for employers based in England and Wales.
Fees and scope
We confirm the scope and fee in writing after reviewing the notice, deadline and volume of evidence. The quote will identify what is included and any separate court, counsel or expert costs.
Send us your enquiry
Tell us what has happened and NA Law Solicitors will come back to you with the next step.
If you have a Home Office notice, DVSA letter or other document, mention it in the summary. We can request the document securely if needed.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to object to a civil penalty?
You have 28 days from the due date specified in the notice to object in writing to the Home Office.
Can the penalty be cancelled completely?
Yes. A penalty can be cancelled where the employer is not liable, where a statutory excuse is established, or where the Home Office accepts that the notice should not have been issued on the facts.
Is this page the same as the general civil penalty page?
No. This page is specifically for employers who have received a notice and need the Home Office objection prepared. The general civil penalty page explains the wider scheme and the available routes.
Need advice on this issue?
Send the short enquiry form on this page and we will come back to you with the next step.
Act before the objection deadline expires
If you have received a civil penalty notice, contact NA Law Solicitors urgently. We will review the notice, identify the available grounds and tell you whether an objection is commercially sensible.
NA Law Solicitors is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. SRA No. 645049. Last legally reviewed: 11 August 2026. This page is general information and is not legal advice.