The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EAS)[1] is located within the Department for Business and Trade.
There are an estimated 32,000 private recruitment agencies in the UK, representing an industry turnover in excess of £38.9 billion a year.
[3] In the reporting year 2020–2021,[4] it cleared 1800 complaints, completed 177 inspections, found 900 infringements and issued 267 warning letters.
EAS also sought legal advice on 22 cases, resulting in 2 successful prosecutions, 3 prohibitions and 1 Labour Market Enforcement Undertakings Order (LMEO).
36%, to allow for the recruitment of more frontline inspectors as recommended by the DLME (Director Labour Market Enforcement), and to prepare for the introduction of the ‘Key Information Document’,[6] which came into force on 6 April 2020.