Frequently asked questions

RefAssure is automated reference checking software for UK recruiters, HR teams, and employers. Instead of manually emailing referees and chasing them for responses, RefAssure handles it all automatically — sending requests, following up with email and SMS reminders, collecting candidate consent, and generating professional PDF reports when complete.

RefAssure is for anyone who needs employment references — recruitment agencies, HR teams, care providers, schools, healthcare organisations, and any UK employer who checks references before hiring. We work across all industries including care, healthcare, education, hospitality, retail, construction, and professional services.

About 5 minutes. Create your account, buy a credit pack, and you can send your first reference request immediately. No demos, no sales calls, no waiting for account approval.

RefAssure uses pay-as-you-go pricing rather than subscriptions. You can create an account and buy our smallest 10-credit pack for just £9.99 to try it with real references. There are no contracts, so you are not committing to anything beyond your first pack.

RefAssure uses simple pay-as-you-go pricing. One credit equals one complete reference. Packs: 10 credits £9.99 (99p each), 25 credits £23.75 (95p each), 50 credits £45.00 (90p each), 100 credits £85.00 (85p each), 250 credits £200.00 (80p each). No monthly fees, no subscriptions, no per-user charges.

No. Your credits never expire. Use them whenever you need them, whether that is next week or next year. Unlike subscription services, you will not lose unused allowances at month end or when volumes drop.

Everything. Each credit includes: the initial branded email request to the referee, up to 5 automated email chasers, 2 SMS reminders, a secure referee portal link, a professional PDF report on completion, and a full timestamped audit trail. No hidden extras, no premium tiers.

Yes. Top up any time from your dashboard. New credits are added to your existing balance instantly — they all share the same expiry (never). Many customers start with a small pack to test, then move to larger packs for better per-reference rates.

No. Add your whole team at no extra cost. Credits belong to your business account and everyone can use them. No per-user fees, no seat limits, no surprises.

For most UK businesses, yes. Competitors like Xref, Zinc and Checkster typically charge monthly subscriptions (£50–£500/month) plus per-reference fees (£3–£8 each). RefAssure has no monthly minimum — just pay for what you use from 99p per reference.

Yes — and this is a key differentiator. Before any referee is contacted, RefAssure sends the candidate an email and SMS asking them to formally consent to reference checking and provide their referee details. This consent is written, timestamped, stored, and included in the PDF report. It satisfies GDPR requirements and is a KCSIE requirement for education providers.

When you send a reference request, RefAssure automatically follows up if the referee does not respond. The sequence is: Day 1 — request sent, Day 4 — email chase 1, Day 6 — email chase 2, Day 8 — SMS reminder 1, Day 9 — email chase 3, Day 11 — SMS reminder 2, Day 12 — final email chase. That is 5 emails and 2 SMS messages, all automated, all included in one credit.

After 12 days and 7 contact attempts, if they still have not responded, you can add an alternative referee or mark the reference as unresponsive. The credit is used when you send the request, not when it is completed — this motivates us to build the most effective chase sequence possible.

Most references are completed within 2–3 days. The combination of email and SMS chasers cuts through inbox noise and significantly speeds up response times compared to manual follow-ups.

Yes. You can fully customise your reference templates. Question types available: short text, long text, yes/no, scale 1–10, date, and date range. You can have up to 25 questions per template and save different templates for different roles or sectors.

The PDF report includes all referee responses to your questions, referee details and completion timestamp for your audit trail, and the candidate consent record. Typical fields include employment dates, job title confirmation, performance ratings, reason for leaving, rehire eligibility, and any additional comments. Reports are professionally formatted and ready to share with clients or file for compliance.

Yes. RefAssure collects written, timestamped candidate consent before any referee is contacted. All data is stored on UK-based servers. We process data with a clear lawful basis, use encrypted connections throughout, and provide a full audit trail on every reference. Every action is logged so you have complete documentation for compliance purposes.

All data is stored on secure UK-based servers. Your data never leaves the UK. We use industry-standard encryption and security practices to protect your information throughout.

Yes. RefAssure is used across all three sectors. For education, the platform satisfies KCSIE candidate consent requirements by default. For care, the full audit trail and PDF reports support CQC safe recruitment evidence. For healthcare, custom templates capture all pre-employment reference requirements including fitness to practise and employment gaps.

Every reference in RefAssure has a complete audit trail showing when requests were sent, when chases were triggered, when the candidate consented, when the reference was completed, and what responses were received. The PDF reports include timestamps and can be downloaded any time for your records, inspections, or regulatory submissions.

Yes. Add unlimited team members to your account at no extra cost. Credits are shared across the account — every team member draws from the same pool. No per-seat fees, no user limits.

From your dashboard, go to Team Settings and invite colleagues by email. They receive an invitation to join your account and can start sending references immediately using your shared credit balance.

Yes. Your dashboard shows all references across your account — who sent them, their current status, and when they were completed. You have full visibility over your team activity without needing separate logins.

No. Referees receive a unique secure link that takes them directly to the reference form. No login, no account creation, no software to install. This maximises completion rates — the less friction the better.

If an email bounces, you will be notified in your dashboard. You can update the referee's contact details and resend the request. The system flags delivery issues so nothing slips through without you knowing.

Yes. The referee form is fully mobile-responsive and works on any device — smartphone, tablet, or desktop. This is important as many referees respond from their phone, especially to SMS reminders.

RefAssure does not currently offer direct ATS integrations, but PDF reports can be downloaded and attached to any applicant tracking system or HR filing system. If you have integration requirements, contact us at contact@refassure.co.uk.