London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 01, 2026

Keeping tips from workers could be illegal under new law

Keeping tips from workers could be illegal under new law

Employers not paying workers their tips in their entirety, without deductions, may soon become illegal.

A bill sponsored by the Conservative MP for Ynys Môn, Virginia Crosbie, would also introduce an obligation to allocate tips fairly among workers.

The UK government is backing the move and said it would benefit more than two million workers.

The trade union Unite said it would reserve judgement until "potential loopholes" in the bill were closed.

Kristian Cuffin, 30, who owns the Cuffed In Coffee cafe in Holyhead, in Ms Crosbie's constituency, said he could not imagine not already giving his staff the entirety of their tips.

"That's what they're intended for," he said.

Kristian Cuffin said all staff work equal hours and so tips at Cuffed In Coffee are divided equally.


All tips at Mr Cuffin's cafe are split evenly among staff each week, with electronic tips logged in a report at the end of each day.

"For us, I can imagine it's a lot easier because we all work fairly even hours. If somebody is working 40 hours and someone's only working five, then to distribute it evenly might not work.

"I suppose it depends on your business. But for us, it's quite a simple process," he added.

Ms Crosbie took over responsibility for the bill when Dean Russell, the backbench MP who introduced it, became a minister.

She acknowledged that most employers were already "doing the right thing," but said the bill would help "create a level playing field".

Under the law, employees would also be given the right to view their employer's tipping record.

"It means that when somebody is in a restaurant or they're in a beauty bar or a taxi, and they pay a tip on their credit card, that this tip will go to the person that actually served them or helped them," she said.

Virginia Crosbie says the bill will help "create a level playing field"


Currently, businesses who receive tips by card have the choice of whether to keep it or pass it on to workers. Cash tips, on the other hand, are legally the property of staff.

In 2021 the UK government said 80% of all tipping now happened by card and suggested this had made it easier for businesses to keep the funds.

Many of the jobs in the MP's constituency are in hospitality and tourism and she has been holding listening events with business owners and workers to help draw up a tipping code of conduct.

Rhys Taylor-Roberts, 20, who is one of six employees at Cuffed by Coffee, said he "100%" thinks the bill would be good news.

"It increases your wage, it gives you more motivation to have better customer service, it's appreciation that's being shown for your craft," he said.

Rhys Taylor-Roberts said tips act as a "top-up, a little help"


"A few pounds does make a difference, it pays for the little things so that you can save for the big things. Whether it's dinner or you're going to get a new haircut. It's like a top-up, a little help," he added.

Unite has previously said it was "not confident" the measures would address poor practices.

Its hospitality spokesman Dave Turnbull said it has now secured a commitment that "potential loopholes" would be closed.

He added that the union would reserve its judgement until these changes "see the light of day".

The UK government first announced plans to ensure all tips go to workers in 2018, but these were never passed into law.

A UK government official said: "The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill, backed by the government, will ensure that all tips go to staff by making it unlawful to hold back service charges from employees."

"More than two million UK workers will benefit, helping ease pressures caused by increases in the cost of living."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Southwest England Faces Flood Alerts After Heavy Autumn Storms
UK Expands Funding for Rapid Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
Welsh Government Approves Funding to Upgrade South Wales Transport
Northern Ireland Tensions Rise as Orange Order Rejects Drumcree Compromise
NHS Leaders Back Early Design of Proposed National Care Service
More Than One-Third of Regional UK Universities Face Financial Deficits
UK Current Account Deficit Narrows as Cross-Border Financial Flows Remain Strong
Bank of England and FCA Issue New Rules for Stablecoins and Digital Assets
MI5 Warns UK Universities Over Research Links With Chinese Institutions
UK Energy Price Cap Rises 4% as Electricity VAT Is Temporarily Suspended
Equity Calls for UK Personality Rights to Protect Performers From AI Replication
OpenAI Pauses Advanced Model Training Following Safety Concerns
Scottish Government Proposes Replacing 32 Councils With Larger Regional Authorities
Ofgem Raises UK Household Energy Price Cap by 4% From October
UK Counter-Terrorism Police Continue Investigation After Five Arrests Near RAF Fairford
OECD Cuts UK 2027 Growth Forecast to 1%
Labour Says State Pension Triple Lock Remains Protected Through Current Parliament
Andy Burnham Pledges National Care Service With Free Social Care in England
Six Flags Permanently Shuts Landmark X2 Roller Coaster Following Safety Scandals
Metropolitan Police Rule Out Terrorism in Golders Green Stabbing Investigation
Lithium-Ion Battery Identified as Cause of Fatal Merseyside House Fire
UK Department Rejects New Sea Use Framework Due to Stakeholder Fatigue
Major Thames Water Pipe Burst Causes School Closures in London
Aldi Commits £900 Million to Expand UK Supermarket Network
Scottish Affairs Committee Warns Skills Shortages Threaten Defence Sector Expansion
Parliamentary Committee Warns Northern Ireland Budget Deadlock is Stalling Economic Growth
NHS Hospitals in England Face Severe Shortages of Essential Medications
Home Secretary Signals Major Overhaul of UK Immigration and Leave to Remain Policies
Chancellor Promises New Job Schemes Alongside Strict Fiscal Discipline
Energy Secretary Proposes Taxpayer-Funded Green Transition and National Electricity Grid
UK Government to Renationalise Avanti West Coast Railway Franchise in March
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Pledges Major Social Care and Infrastructure Reforms
Five Suspects Released on Bail Following Alleged Bomb Plot Near RAF Fairford
UK Diesel Prices Hit Record High of 199p Per Litre
Transport for Wales and Network Rail Complete Electrification of South Wales Metro
Defra Expands Incentives for Sustainable Farming and Biodiversity in England
Northern Ireland Executive Approves Funding Package to Resolve Public Sector Pay Disputes
Universities UK Warns of Financial Insolvency Risks for Higher Education Institutions
UK Prisons Activate Emergency Protocols to Manage Capacity Pressures
UK Government Establishes New Safety Standards for Frontier AI Models
Home Office Tightens Skilled Worker Visa Requirements and Dependent Rules
Ministry of Defence Restructures Royal Navy Frigate Procurement to Prevent Overruns
UK Government Mandates New Housing Targets to Address National Shortage
UK and Scottish Governments Reach Agreement on North Sea Energy Transition
NHS Launches Digital Overhaul to Reduce Surgical Backlogs in England
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates as Service Sector Inflation Persists
UK Chancellor Announces Fiscal Consolidation Measures to Stabilize National Debt
RNLI Chief Executive Condemns Misinformation and Abuse Targeting Volunteer Crews
Metropolitan Police Charge Swindon Man with Assisting Foreign Intelligence Services
British Intelligence Report Warns Environmental Collapse Threatens Global Defense Infrastructure
×