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The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill received Royal Assent in May and new legislation is expected to come into force in October this year.

Operators must now pay 100% of money earned through tips to staff, making it illegal to withdraw money earned from tips out of the pockets of hospitality workers.

In reaction to the uncertainty surrounding this new legislation, HOSPA and UKHospitality launched a study into the public's opinion on tipping, which came from a survey of 1,000 UK adults.

Here are the key findings:

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• 81% of respondents said they tip, with only 19% saying they did not.

• 71% said they prefer to pay a tip separately.

• 53% said they feel anxious about requesting to remove a service charge.

• 71% said they are most likely to tip a waiter, 45% said a taxi driver and 36% said a hairdresser/beautician.

• Only 9% wanted to see tipping scrapped altogether.

• 82% said they would prefer it if the tips went to the individual who served them.
   

A public consultation for employers on tipping practices is set for later this year to help determine a formal Code of Practice that will come into force in 2024.

As part of the study, HOSPA also took to the streets to interview members of the public on their tipping opinions.