Final destination on the route to full tipping

The long-awaited legislation, drawing on recommendations from the Government’s Good Work Plan proposals, will make it unlawful for employers to withhold tips and service charges from staff, and give workers new rights to see an employer’s tipping record.  The new rules will come into force after winning backing from MPs and a new statutory code of practice is set to be developed, to provide businesses and staff with advice on how tips should be distributed.

A wider employment bill was intended to incorporate these changes, but when the bill was subject to ongoing delays, MP Dean Russell put forward a private members’ bill to tackle the issue. The government, which formally backed the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill at its second reading in parliament, said it should benefit more than 2 million workers.

The new rules are designed to overcome situations where employers make deductions from tips or withhold service charges, with many so-called ‘administration’ charges levied where tips are given through card payments.

Whether tips are paid through a set percentage service charge or added at the discretion of the customer in cash or card payments, historically there has been no control over how tipping in the workplace is managed, just a voluntary code of practice which encourages employers to be transparent.

Some restaurants may have what is known as a tronc scheme.  This is effectively a self-administered scheme for staff, with a troncmaster appointed to distribute tips between staff.  The employer is not able to influence the operation of the scheme or how tips are shared.

Up to now, the only restriction there has been on employers was that tips cannot count towards the national minimum wage (NMW).  The NMW Regulations apply to any eligible worker, whether they are paid by the hour or on some other basis, and calculations must be made to check if the equivalent hourly rate is at the right amount and any gratuities paid at work must be on top of the NMW.