Right-to-work checks

Organisations typically follow current official guidance on right-to-work checks before hiring. For example, checks may highlight situations such as:

• Not having leave to enter or remain in the UK
• Leave to enter or remain that is out of date
• False or fraudulent documents
• Being prohibited from performing the type of work offered

Current official sources outline the available timelines for paying or challenging a penalty, and these can change over time. If this happens, current guidance describes relevant timelines for paying or challenging a penalty; confirm the applicable time limits using official sources. Some employers choose to appeal penalties if they believe they completed the necessary right-to-work checks.

Criminal record or DBS check

Employers may request criminal record checks, depending on the nature of the role. Requirements vary by sector and role, so consider how relevant a check is to the position and review current official guidance if uncertain.

Potential employees who will be working with children, in healthcare and/or with vulnerable adults will need a more detailed check. Not all sectors require a criminal record check by law, so consider how relevant it is to the role and seek further advice if in doubt. There are several types of criminal record checks that you can run, depending on how detailed you need the check to be for the role that you are recruiting for. They are as follows:

• A basic check, showing any unspent convictions or conditional cautions;
• A standard check, showing spent/unspent convictions, plus any final warnings, cautions and/or reprimands;
• An enhanced check, which includes the same information as a standard check, plus any additional information that local police consider relevant;
• An enhanced check with barred lists, showing the same information as an enhanced check, plus confirmation as to whether the applicant is on the barred list for that role.

Some employers choose to repeat checks for existing employees. A DBS check does not cover information on any period during which the person was working outside the UK.

Medical checks

After an offer is made, some employers ask candidates whether they may need any workplace adjustments. When an adjustment is requested, organisations typically follow their internal process and consult the latest guidance.

Many organisations treat medical information as sensitive and follow their internal data-protection processes when handling it.

After making a job offer, some employers choose to carry out a health check as part of their onboarding process. This commonly involves asking whether any suitable arrangements may be needed to support the candidate’s health conditions or disabilities. When an employee requests an adjustment, organisations typically review the request using their established internal process and the latest official guidance.

Social media checks

Some employers choose to review publicly available online or social-media content where it is relevant to the role. When doing so, many aim to apply their policy consistently and consider that online information may lack full context. For example, a social media check may be relevant if you are recruiting for a role that will involve the employee using their personal accounts to share company content, in which case their social media presence often needs to reflect the level of professionalism expected of employees representing the organisation.

When employers review publicly available social-media content, many aim to apply their internal policy consistently and consider the context of what they see. This is because the information on their profiles may not provide a complete context for their content, or may not accurately represent them.

Many employers use a social-media check only to understand role-related suitability. Some employers choose to give candidates an opportunity during the interview stage to discuss any questions that arise about their social-media presence. 

Qualification checks

You may wish to verify that candidates hold the qualifications they list in their application. While this is not always required by law for every role, it is important if you are recruiting for a vocational position that requires a highly specialised set of skills or training such as a doctor, architect or engineer. Some professions require candidates to hold specific qualifications or professional registrations.

For example, certain clinical roles require registration with the relevant professional regulator. Many employers ask applicants to provide their vocational or degree certificate(s). Because forged certificates occasionally appear in the job market, some employers contact the relevant awarding body if they have concerns about the authenticity of a qualification.

Employee reference checks

As a final step before employing your chosen candidate, many employers request references. Reference checks can help employers verify elements of a candidate’s work history and gain additional insight relevant to the role. Related: 5 Useful Questions Employers Should Ask When Conducting a Reference Check

Not all pre-employment checks are required by law. Right-to-work checks form a standard part of many hiring processes and are a legal requirement. Other checks may help employers assess role-related suitability or understand whether any workplace adjustments may be needed.

Right-to-work checks form a standard part of many hiring processes and are a legal requirement. Employers typically carry them out consistently and in line with their organisation’s policy and current official guidance. However, many pre-employment checks are simply useful for making sure that a candidate would make a safe and suitable addition to the company. They also give you the opportunity to find out more about your candidate’s needs, such as any reasonable adjustments that may be needed in the workplace.
Related: Onboarding Guide