Since October 2024 employers in Great Britain must pass on all tips, gratuities and service charges to workers in full, with no deductions beyond tax. Distribution has to be fair, there must be a written tipping policy available to staff, and records must be kept so workers can ask to see how money was shared.
A statutory Code of Practice explains what 'fair' means, and workers can bring claims to an employment tribunal. The law closed the old trick of venues skimming card tips to cover 'admin', but it does not dictate an exact split, so arguments about who gets what are now about fairness rather than theft.
What we ask on the show
- Has the tips law actually changed what lands in your pocket?
- What does a genuinely fair split between front and back of house look like?
- Should managers ever be in the tip pool?
- Have you ever asked to see the tips records, and what happened?