SSW Annual Reporting and Support Records: Everyday Checks Before Online Filing
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SSW / PERIODIC REPORTING & SUPPORT RECORDS
SSW Annual Reporting and Support Records: Everyday Checks Before Online Filing
Prepare for annual reporting by keeping worker, employment, pay, attendance and support records connected throughout the year. Agree the roles of the employer and registered support organisation.
Official guidance checked: 27 October 2026
Watch the video guide
1. Confirm the reporting period, deadline and filing party
The ISA states that the reporting period is 1 April to 31 March of the following year. The deadline is 31 May after that period, or the next office day if 31 May is a weekend or public holiday. Periodic filing is annual; event-based notifications and ongoing support must be managed separately.
The accepting employer submits the periodic notification. Where all support is outsourced, the employer must also consolidate the support information provided by the RSO. An outsourcing agreement is not evidence that filing has been completed.
Check the current official document list and preparation guide for the scope of workers, people who left during the period, annexes and attachments. Do not rely only on the current employee list.
2. Connect everyday records to the evidence
| Record group | Examples to retain | Cross-check against |
|---|---|---|
| Workers and changes | Residence status and expiry, joining/leaving dates, contract changes and filing history | Worker list, contracts and filing records |
| Pay and attendance | Wage ledger, attendance, payment records and deductions | Employment conditions and actual work |
| Support delivered | Date, action, responsible staff, language, result and evidence | Support plan and implementation information |
| Interviews and consultations | Date, participants, issues, action owner and deadline | Interview and consultation records |
| Filing and follow-up | Final version, attachments, transmission date, receipt and correction requests | Submitted documents and action log |
This is a practical record-management example, not a statutory attachment list for every case. Limit access to personal information and agree the shared storage location, access scope and record owner.
3. A suggested monthly internal review
- Identify changes in workers, contracts, work locations and support arrangements.
- Compare employment conditions, pay and attendance; investigate discrepancies.
- Distinguish support not delivered, missing records and facts not yet verified.
- Reconcile RSO information with employer records.
- Assign an owner and deadline to each issue and record the outcome.
If a record is missing, investigate whether the support took place. Do not invent dates, signatures or past activities. Record what remains unverified and what action is required. Past deficiencies need an individual review.
4. Agree the employer and RSO roles
| Party | Responsibility to organise |
|---|---|
| Accepting employer | Employment, pay and attendance records; worker list; review of support information; periodic filing |
| Registered support organisation | Deliver and record support within the agreed scope; provide the support information required for the employer’s filing |
| Both parties | Sharing dates, reviewers, correction process, copies of submissions and unresolved issues |
The ISA explains that an RSO entrusted with all support provides the required annexes and support information to the employer. Signature-page treatment differs by submission method and outsourcing arrangements; check the current instructions. For an engagement with our office, agree the support, document preparation and immigration-service scope separately and verify the filing party and system permissions.
5. Check event-based notifications when changes occur
Changes to employment contracts, support plans or outsourcing arrangements, and difficulties continuing acceptance or support, may require separate event-based notifications. For each event, confirm whether filing is required, who files, the triggering date, deadline, form and supporting documents.
Do not wait for the next annual report. Residence applications and any notifications by the worker are separate issues that also need checking.
Checks highlighted in the official common-mistakes guide
- An RSO cannot make the periodic filing, even where support is outsourced. The accepting employer must file.
- When all support is entrusted to multiple RSOs, check Annex 2 of Reference Form 3-6 and signatures from every RSO entrusted with all support. Verify current online signature instructions separately.
- Omission of filing documents is limited to online filings by employers that meet specified criteria. Documents cannot be omitted for postal or counter filing. Online filing alone does not establish eligibility for omission.
- Check that the electronic notification system registration includes the accepting-employer category.
6. Before and after online filing
- Distinguish the residence-application system from the electronic notification system; check registration, the request to use the system and user permissions.
- Verify the year, workers and input values against employer and RSO records.
- Use current forms, annexes and attachments for the submission method. Do not assume that last year’s omission conditions still apply.
- Save the actual final submission, attachments, transmission date and receipt records.
- Check subsequent messages and correction requests. Distinguish receipt, correction handling and completion.
7. Frequently asked questions
Does annual reporting mean annual interviews and support?
No. Filing frequency is separate from support delivery. Check the required content, frequency and method against the support plan and current operational guidance.
Can the employer leave all record checks to the RSO?
No. The employer must manage employment records and have a process to review the support information consolidated into its periodic filing.
What if records are missing?
Identify the workers, periods and information affected. Investigate using available evidence, and mark unknown facts as unverified rather than filling gaps by assumption.
8. Reviewing records and support arrangements
Tell us the worker count, outsourcing scope, periods affected by missing records and recent filing status as far as known. We will confirm scope and fees. General information is separate from an individual document review or advice.
Official sources
- ISA notification guidance
- Periodic notification document list
- Preparation guide
- Common mistakes
- Current forms
The reporting rules above were checked against the official notification page. Verify detailed forms and attachment conditions in the current linked materials. Monthly reviews are our recommendation. General information; no individual outcome is guaranteed.
