First employee pack
Before a first employee starts, a UK business must register as an employer with HMRC, hold employers liability insurance of at least £5 million, complete a right to work check and issue written terms on or before day one. The uninsured penalty alone is up to £2,500 per day.
Situation pack · 9 documents · 48 pages
The short answer
Before a first employee starts, a UK business must register as an employer with HMRC, hold employers liability insurance of at least £5 million, complete a right to work check and issue written terms on or before day one. The uninsured penalty alone is up to £2,500 per day.
Who this pack is for
- Sole traders hiring their first member of staff
- New companies making an early hire
- Freelancers converting a subcontractor into an employee
- Founders who want the minimum done properly
- Anyone unsure whether their first hire is employed or self employed
Not for you if: You already employ staff and need a full policy suite. Start with employment essentials.
What it solves
A start date is agreed and nothing is registered or insured.
A self employed helper is really an employee and nobody has checked.
Payroll runs late because registration was left until the last week.
What the law requires
Register before the first payday
Registration as an employer with HMRC must happen before the first payday and can take up to fifteen working days to complete, so it cannot be left to the final week.
Source: GOV.UK, employing staff for the first time
Employers liability insurance
At least £5 million of cover is required from the day you employ someone, with narrow exemptions for single director companies.
Source: HSE, employers liability compulsory insurance
Employment status
Status is decided by the reality of the arrangement, not the label. Getting it wrong creates PAYE liability and employment rights you did not plan for.
Source: HMRC, employment status guidance
What is in the pack
| ID | Document | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| 1ST-01 | Employer registration checklistGOV.UK | 3 |
| EMP-01 | Employment contractEmployment Rights Act 1996 | 9 |
| EMP-10 | Right to work checkHome Office | 6 |
| 1ST-04 | Payroll setup checklistHMRC PAYE | 4 |
| 1ST-05 | Pension duties checklistThe Pensions Regulator | 4 |
| 1ST-06 | Employers liability insurance noteHSE | 2 |
| 1ST-09 | First thirty days checklistGOV.UK | 4 |
And two more: basic staff handbook, health and safety statement for employers under five staff.
How updates work
Every document carries a version number and a reviewed date. On the first Tuesday of each month the pack is checked against its primary sources. If anything has changed you receive the updated file and one line explaining what moved and why. If nothing has changed you receive an email saying so.
April and the Budget are the months when most figures move.
Questions
Do I need a pension straight away?
Auto enrolment duties start from the first employee's first payday. Assessment and communications are covered.
What if my hire is part time?
The same duties apply. The contract has a part time variant.
Can I upgrade to the full employment pack?
Yes, and the price paid here is credited within twelve months.
Do I need a handbook for one employee?
Not legally, but it settles expectations. A short version is included.
How is it delivered?
By email, as Word and PDF files, personalised with your business details.
Sources
Built from published UK primary sources only: GOV.UK, employing staff for the first time, HMRC, employment status guidance, HSE, employers liability compulsory insurance. No secondary or aggregator sources are used.
Order the first employee pack, or ask about an association licence covering your whole membership.
Email support@kaeltripton.comThese documents are drafted from published UK primary sources and are a starting point you adapt to your own circumstances. They are not legal, tax or immigration advice, and documents you edit become your responsibility.