Consultation outcome

Tips, gratuities, cover and service charges: proposals for further action

This was published under the 2015 to 2016 Cameron Conservative government
This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Detail of outcome

The government believes that all tips should be:

  • discretionary, and clear to consumers that they are voluntary
  • received by workers
  • clear and transparent to consumers and workers in terms of how the payments are treated

The consultation responses show that the current guidance and rules are not sufficient to achieve the government’s objectives. Based on this, government announced in 2018 the intention to legislate to ensure tips left for workers go to them in full, ensuring they get the tips they deserve and giving customers reassurance.

We will bring forward measures to ensure tips, gratuities and service charges go to workers in full as part of an upcoming Employment Bill. These will require employers to pass tips on to workers in full without making any deductions. Employers will also be required to distribute tips in a way that is fair and transparent, including via tronc systems if they wish, and they must have a written policy on tips, and a record of how tips have been dealt with.

This legislation will be supported by a statutory Code of Practice on Tipping. There will be provisions to allow workers to request information relating to an employer’s tipping records and, where employers fail to comply with these measures, this will be enabled through Employment Tribunal.

Detail of feedback received

We received 173 responses to this consultation:

  • the majority (126, or 73%) were from customers of businesses where tipping takes place
  • the remainder were employers of businesses where tips or gratuities were made, workers who receive or collect tips, or other respondent groups

Feedback strongly supported:

  • transparency for consumers on discretionary payments and that they are to be freely given
  • the government’s objective that workers receive their fair share of discretionary payments. Almost 70% of respondents favoured preventing any employer deductions from discretionary payments
  • a statutory code of practice – by a majority (61%)

Some respondents opposed the proposals. They believed the existing regulatory framework was sufficient and that employers would face increased costs from complying with the proposed reforms.


Original consultation

Summary

We're seeking your views on proposals to ensure the treatment of tips, gratuities, cover and service charges is fair and transparent.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

We believe that all discretionary payments for service should be subject to 3 broad policy objectives:

  • clear to consumers that they are voluntary
  • received by workers
  • clear and transparent to consumers and workers in terms of how the payments are treated

The consultation document includes:

We’re seeking views on our proposals for further action.

Documents

Tips, gratuities, cover and service charges: consultation document

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Updates to this page

Published 2 May 2016
Last updated 24 September 2021 + show all updates
  1. Government response published.

  2. First published.

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