Pre-employment checks

The first check you should carry out is to confirm the identity of the candidate and establish that their identity is genuine.

You should not undertake any other checks until you are satisfied that the candidate is who they claim to be.

How to check a person's identity

You can check a person's identity by:

• requesting original copies of documents - such as passports, birth certificates, and driving licences
• asking for copies of documents that confirm the person lives where they claim they do - eg provide a recent bank statement or utility bill with their name and address on it
• requesting a Certificate of Registration, or a Biometric Residence Permit, and/or immigration documents where relevant
• using a commercial online database checking service

Whilst these checks can prove that an identity exists, they cannot prove that the identity rightfully belongs to the person using it. You should back up any electronic check by obtaining original documents to support the claim.

Job offer templates from Acas including a pre-employment checklist template.

The HM Passport Office has introduced a number of measures to help employers check for identity fraud.

Read more on the HM Passport Office's responsibilities and priorities.