The final version of the agency worker regulations emerged in January 2010. The government estimates that the changes will increase employer costs by £18 billion a year and take up one and a half hours of HR management time per agency worker in terms of monitoring and administration
Speculation on how European proposals on agency workers will apply in the UK finally ended recently with the publication of the Agency Workers Regulations 2010.

It may feel like the pressure is off because implementation of the regulations has been delayed until 1 October 2011. But this is a time for reflection and planning, not inertia. Since the regulations are estimated to cost 0.3 per cent of the UK pay bill, hirers should identify now what new working practices will be required to accommodate them.