A Key Information Document, usually shortened to a KID, is a short written summary an employment business must give you before you agree terms with them. It sets out who pays you, the type of contract you will be on, your minimum expected rate of pay and every deduction that will come out of it. You should receive it before you agree anything, not after your first shift.
What is a Key Information Document?
If you have ever started an assignment and felt surprised by what landed in your bank account, the Key Information Document is designed to stop that happening. It came into force on 6 April 2020 through Regulation 13A of the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003, and applies to every new agency worker registering with an employment business in the UK.
The point of it is simple. Before you commit, you get a plain summary of the commercial reality behind your pay. Who employs you, who pays you, what comes off the top, and what you can realistically expect to see. As a REC accredited agency, we treat the KID as the start of an honest conversation rather than a compliance box.
Key takeaways
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You must receive a KID before you agree terms, not after you start work
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It must show your minimum expected rate of pay and every deduction
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A separate KID is required if you are paid through an umbrella company
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Assignment details (location, hours, hirer) are a separate legal requirement
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The Fair Work Agency enforces the rule and took over from the EAS Inspectorate on 7 April 2026
What must a Key Information Document actually contain?
The document has to be short enough to read properly, which is the whole idea. Government guidance sets out the required content, and a compliant KID will always cover the same core ground. If yours is missing any of it, that is worth raising straight away with whoever registered you.
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What the KID covers |
Why it matters to you |
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Who your contract is with |
Tells you whether you are an employee or a worker, and who carries the employment duties |
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Type of contract |
Contract of employment or contract for services, which affects notice and rights |
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Who pays you |
The agency, an umbrella company, or another intermediary in the chain |
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Minimum rate of pay |
The lowest rate you can expect for the type of work you have registered for |
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Deductions required by law |
Income tax, National Insurance and pension contributions where they apply |
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Any other deductions or fees |
Anything else that reduces your pay, itemised rather than lumped together |
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Holiday entitlement and pay |
How your leave accrues and how it will be paid to you |
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An example pay illustration |
A worked representative example so the numbers are not abstract |
How is a KID different from your assignment details?
These two get confused constantly, and the distinction matters. The KID covers the commercial and contractual structure. It is given once at registration, and refreshed if something material changes. Assignment details cover a specific piece of work and come each time.
Acas sets out clearly what an agency must tell you when it offers you an assignment, including the hiring organisation, the likely duration, the location, your working hours, the rate of pay, and any health and safety risks along with how the hirer will protect you from them. You can see how we structure placements on our temp hire and temp-to-perm page.
What happens when an umbrella company is involved?
This is where the KID earns its keep. If you are paid through an umbrella company rather than directly by the agency, you should receive a KID that reflects that arrangement, because the deduction picture is different and usually longer. Government guidance publishes separate example documents for PAYE workers, for those paid via an umbrella company, and for those working through a personal service company.
Acas explains that an umbrella company acts as your employer while the employment agency is their client. The umbrella invoices the agency, runs PAYE, makes the deductions and pays you. Understanding that chain before you start is far easier than unpicking it from a payslip six weeks in. If anything in the structure is unclear, ask before you sign rather than after.
Step by step
1. Read it before you agree anything
The document exists to inform a decision, so it is worthless if it arrives afterwards.
2. Check who is actually paying you
Agency, umbrella or intermediary. This determines who to contact about pay queries.
3. Work through the deductions line by line
Statutory deductions are expected. Anything else should be clearly explained.
4. Compare the example against your expectations
If the illustration looks lower than you assumed, raise it immediately.
5. Keep a copy
If a query arises later, the KID is your reference point.
What are your rights if something looks wrong?
An employment business cannot charge you a fee for finding you work. That is a firm rule, with a narrow exception for entertainment and modelling agencies. Agencies may charge for separate services such as training or transport, but must not pressure you, treat you unfairly for declining, or make work conditional on paying.
There are also baseline protections that apply whatever any document says. You must be paid for all the work you do, receive paid holiday, be paid at least the National Minimum Wage, and be protected under health and safety law. Notably, an employment business must pay you for hours worked even if the hirer has not paid the agency, and even if a timesheet has not been authorised.
Quick checklist
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Did you receive your KID before agreeing terms?
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Does it name who is legally responsible for paying you?
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Are all deductions itemised rather than grouped?
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Is there a worked pay example you can follow?
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Have you received separate written assignment details?
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Do you know who to contact if your pay looks wrong?
Who enforces the rules now?
This changed recently and it is worth being precise about. The Fair Work Agency began operating on 7 April 2026 and replaced the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate. It is now the body responsible for enforcing Regulation 13A, which is the regulation that requires the Key Information Document in the first place. Some published guidance still refers to the EAS while it is being updated, so you may see both names for a while.
For employers the same document does quiet work in the other direction, because workers who understand their pay structure raise fewer queries and leave assignments less often. Our employers page sets out how we handle worker documentation on live placements.
Frequently asked questions
When should I receive my Key Information Document?
Before you agree terms with the employment business. The regulation is designed so the document informs your decision rather than confirming one you have already made. If you have started an assignment and never received one, raise it with the agency straight away, because it suggests something has been missed in your registration.
Is a KID the same as a contract?
No. The KID is a short summary designed to be read quickly, and it does not replace your written terms. You should also receive a written statement of employment particulars setting out the terms under which you will work. The KID gives you the headline picture and the contract gives you the full detail.
Do I get a new KID for every assignment?
Not usually. The KID relates to your relationship with the employment business rather than to one piece of work, so it is provided at registration. It should be refreshed if something material changes, such as a move to a different payment arrangement. Assignment specific information is a separate requirement each time.
What if I am paid through an umbrella company?
You should receive a KID that reflects that arrangement, because the deductions differ from a straightforward PAYE structure. Government guidance publishes a separate example document specifically for workers paid via an umbrella company. Read it carefully, as there are typically more lines coming off your gross figure than under direct PAYE.
Can an agency charge me for finding work?
No. Charging a work-seeker a fee for work-finding services is prohibited, aside from a narrow exception covering entertainment and modelling agencies. An agency may offer separate paid services such as training or transport, but it cannot pressure you into them or make finding you work conditional on buying them.
What if my pay does not match the KID?
Contact whoever the document names as responsible for paying you, which may be the agency or an umbrella company. Bring the KID and your payslip so the comparison is straightforward. Remember that an employment business must pay you for hours worked even if the hirer has not yet paid them or a timesheet is outstanding.
Who checks that agencies follow these rules?
The Fair Work Agency, which began operating on 7 April 2026 and took over from the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate. It enforces Regulation 13A, the requirement to provide a Key Information Document. Some guidance documents still name the EAS while they are being updated.
Starting an assignment with the full picture
A Key Information Document is a small piece of paper that prevents a large amount of confusion, and you are entitled to it before you commit to anything. Read it properly, question anything that does not add up, and keep a copy somewhere you can find it. If you are registering with us across any of our fourteen sectors, our consultants will walk you through yours rather than simply emailing it over.
Connecting Talent with Opportunity
National Temping Recruitment
0333 772 9824
info@nationaltemps.co.uk
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