# Guide to pre-employment checks Once you have completed the initial selection process and chosen a potential new employee, there are some checks that you may want to make - or may be required to make - before making an unconditional job offer. Some checks - whilst advisable - are optional, for example, checking a potential employee's qualifications or references. Other checks are a legal requirement - for example, you are required to ensure that all your workers are entitled to be in the UK and take up the job in question. For other roles - such as those involving work with vulnerable individuals or jobs within the security industry - you are required by law to apply to join the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. This guide covers essential pre-employment checks that must be carried out for both British and foreign nationals. In this guide you'll find information on: * [Why pre-employment checks are important](/support/hr/recruitment-selection/guide-to-pre-employment-checks/why-pre-employment-checks-are-important) Pre-employment checks are an important part of the recruitment process. They help you to: comply with the law by ensuring the employee has permission to work u2013 and remain u2013 in the UK and has not been barred from carrying out the job u2013 e.g. for roles working with vulnerable groups or holding the position \[u2026\] * [Making identity checks](/support/hr/recruitment-selection/guide-to-pre-employment-checks/making-identity-checks) The first check you should make 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. You can check a personu2019s identity by requesting original copies of documents u2013 such \[u2026\] * [Checking references](/support/hr/recruitment-selection/guide-to-pre-employment-checks/checking-references) Although not compulsory, it is advisable to check a potential employeeu2019s references. You can do this in writing or by telephone at any point during the recruitment process. Some candidates will prefer you not to check their references until they have been offered the job, and you must have their permission before any referees are \[u2026\] * [Checking qualifications](/support/hr/recruitment-selection/guide-to-pre-employment-checks/checking-qualifications) As well as looking at references, you should also check the applicantu2019s qualifications, especially when the qualification is essential to the position you want to fill. In some professions, applicants must be in possession of specific qualifications before they can practice. You can check qualifications by asking to see the candidateu2019s certificates. Alternatively, you can \[u2026\] * [Health checks and questionnaires](/support/hr/recruitment-selection/guide-to-pre-employment-checks/health-checks-and-questionnaires) You may wish to include health checks as part of your recruitment process. A health questionnaire may ask about individual and family history and lifestyle. They can highlight potential problems requiring a follow up u2013 e.g. by a medical examination. Questions about disability and health during the recruitment process Before offering a job to anyone, \[u2026\] * [Criminal records checks](/support/hr/recruitment-selection/guide-to-pre-employment-checks/criminal-records-checks) Certain positions will enable the employer to apply for a Basic Disclosures check for the potential applicant fromu00a0Disclosure Scotland. This is usually required when people are working regularly with children or vulnerable adults. The Security Industry Authority also carries out a criminal record check (in England) or Basic Disclosures check on anyone who applies for \[u2026\] * [Ensuring eligibility to work in the UK](/support/hr/recruitment-selection/guide-to-pre-employment-checks/ensuring-eligibility-to-work-in-the-uk) All employers in the UK have a responsibility to stop illegal migrants working. You must therefore check the entitlement of everyone you plan to employ to work in the UK. Failure to do so may result in a civil penalty or criminal conviction. Some people can work in the UK without restriction, including: citizens of \[u2026\] * [Withdrawing job offers where checks are not satisfactory](/support/hr/recruitment-selection/guide-to-pre-employment-checks/withdrawing-job-offers-where-checks-are-not-satisfactory) No contract of employment exists until a candidate has accepted an offer and all conditions under which the offer was made have been satisfied. You can withdraw conditional job offers made subject to suitable references and criminal records checks, where the results are not as you expected. If a candidate starts work before the results \[u2026\] * [Pre-employment checks - data protection issues](/support/hr/recruitment-selection/guide-to-pre-employment-checks/pre-employment-checks-data-protection-issues) The Data Protection Act 1998 applies to personal information u2013 data about living, identified or identifiable individuals, including information such as names and addresses, bank details, and opinions expressed about an individual. There are eight data protection principles. Information should be: processed fairly and lawfully processed for one or more specified and lawful purposes, and \[u2026\] [Previous: Guide to hiring fairly](/support/hr/recruitment-selection/guide-to-hiring-fairly) [Next: Why pre-employment checks are important](/support/hr/recruitment-selection/guide-to-pre-employment-checks/why-pre-employment-checks-are-important) --- ## About SCVO SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations) is the national membership organisation for Scotland's voluntary sector. Our role is to champion the role of voluntary organisations in Scotland and to support them to do work that has a positive impact. SCVO supports members and the wider voluntary sector with all aspects of setting up and running a voluntary organisation. SCVO represents the needs and concerns of the voluntary sector to the Scottish government in Holyrood and UK government and Westminster. 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