Screening & Vetting

As part of our recruitment process, all employees will be subject to rigorous screening and vetting as per the current BS 7858 standard, this will be without exception.

The BS 7858 is the code of practice released by BSI (British Standards Institution) which details best practices and guidelines for the security screening of individuals employed within a security environment.

Simply, it is the background screening and vetting of individuals who are employed in an environment where the security and safety of people, goods or property is a requirement of the employing organisation and / or where such security screening is in the public and / or corporate interest.

We are required to complete the following checks, prior to confirming employment:

  • Identity Check – we will verify your identifying credentials such as Passport or Birth certificate. This will be the first pre-employment screening and being critical for all employment in the UK. We will only accept original identification documents.
  • Right to Work Check – this will validate your right to work status, we will validate authenticity by using Home Office sources.
  • Address History – you will be required to provide proof of your current address and any other addresses you have lived within the last 10 years. You will also be subject to a search of the public electoral roll. Where an individual is not found on the electoral roll we will use other sources such as consumer credit ‘footprint’ data to prove transactional history of a person at a specific address.
  • Checkable Employment / Unemployment / Education History – which involves an analysis of a minimum of 5-years checkable history for all periods of employment / unemployment / education, as well as confirmation of any gaps of up to 31 days. It also includes analysis of any periods of self-employment.

You may be required to provide a minimum of 10-year checkable employment / unemployment / education history depending on the role. This will be stipulated on the job advert.

Employment / Unemployment / Education history will be validated through written and / or verbal confirmation.

We do not accept references of any kind from personal email addresses, such as @gmail, @yahoo, @ymail, @hotmail, @outlook, etc.  

  • Financial Probity Check – this includes bankruptcy, IVA and insolvency checks and checks for CCJ’s up to £10,000.
  • Global Watchlist Check – cross-referencing the individual’s name(s) against various sanctions, watchlists and fraud databases, including, but not limited to, the HM Treasury’s consolidated list of financial sanctions targets in the UK.

From time to time and dependant on the job role you are applying for we may be required to complete one or more of the following additional checks:

  • Criminal Record Search – dependant on the role you are applying for, it may be essential to apply for a Basic, Standard or Enhanced Criminal Record Check, to the appropriate body; Disclosure Scotland, Criminal Records Bureau or Access Northern Ireland.

Basic – details all criminal convictions considered not to have been spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, or states that there are no such convictions.

Standard – details all convictions (including spent convictions), as well as any police warnings or cautions.

Enhanced – details all convictions (including spent convictions), as well as any police warning or cautions, plus any information which is considered relevant and details of whether the applicant has been barred from employment with vulnerable adults and children.

  • UK Directorship(s) Search – this will involve a search of Companies House records, in order to identify current and previous held directorships, as well as any notifications of disqualification from acting as a company officer.
  • Driving Licence Check – we will check details against the information held by the DVLA to confirm or identify any disqualifications, endorsements / penalty points and restrictions.
  • Professional Qualification and Membership Check – we will send a direct request to the professional body, requesting the confirmation of the individuals date of joining, membership status and professional qualifications.
  • Media Search – we would search multiple news sources using an adverse search string to identify any newsworthy items.

You will be required to provide the following documentation:

Right to Work:  

  • Valid UK Passport, or
  • Valid EU Passport, or
  • Original UK Birth Certificate (plus proof of your National Insurance Number), or
  • Valid Non-EU Passport with valid residence permit or biometric card

Proof of Address: (we will require two documents)

  • Valid UK photo card driving licence – front and back (full or provisional)
  • Bank or Building Society statements, dated within the last three months. You can use two statements if they are issued by a different bank
  • Utility Bill e.g. gas, electric, water, broadband, dated within the last three months
  • Letter from H.M. Revenue and Customs, Department for Work and Pensions or Local Authority, dated within the last three months
  • Credit Card statement, dated within the last 3 months
  • Council Tax statement, dated within the last 3 months
  • P45 – printed copy only is acceptable and must be dated within the last 12 months
  • P60 – printed copy is only acceptable and must be dated within the current tax year

Proof of National Insurance (one of the below) 

  • P45 – printed copy only, or
  • P60 printed copy only, or
  • Letter from H.M. Revenue and Customs or department of Work and Pensions
  • Payslip – printed copy showing previous employers company name (must be within 6 months)

The information obtained as part of the BS7858 and any additional checks are retained for a period of 7 years after the end of employment.

HMRC Proof of Employment History

DWP Proof of Benefits