Which sectors are covered?
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Sectors covered
A wide range of sectors are covered by the GLA licensing scheme:
- agriculture
- forestry
- horticulture
- shellfish gathering
- food and drink processing and packaging
Who needs a licence
Section 4 of the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 specifies who needs a licence within these sectors. Generally, the following activities require a licence:
- supplying labour to work in the licensed sectors
- using workers to provide a service in the licensed sectors
- using workers to gather shellfish
If the work is done within the UK, a licence is still required even if you are based outside the UK.
Additional information is available for the forestry and shellfish sectors.
Exclusions
The Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 was drafted in broad terms to ensure that all gangmasters can be required to obtain a licence. However, there are a number of exemptions where the risk of serious exploitation is minimal. The Gangmasters Licensing (Exclusions) Regulations 2010 set out a range of circumstances where a licence is not required.
If in doubt, seek advice
Please contact the GLA on 0845 602 5020 or enquiries@gla.gsi.gov.uk if you are ensure whether you need a licence or not.
If you do not have a licence when you should have one, it is not a defence to say that you did not know you needed a licence.
