Employment reference checks for UK employers.
Replace reference emails and phone calls with one online request. RefAssure asks the employer referee, chases them and files the answer.
What is an employment reference check?
An employment reference check asks a previous employer to confirm a candidate’s job title, dates, duties and conduct before you confirm an offer. RefAssure runs it online: the candidate signs consent, each employer referee gets a secure link, and reminders go out automatically. The median reference is back in about 23 hours, from 80p each, with your first one free.
From inbox ping-pong to four steps.
No more forwarding forms, leaving voicemails or typing up a call. Any hiring manager can do this, and it looks the same every time.
Add the new hire
Name, email and their referees. Pick a template your HR team has approved.
Candidate signs consent
They confirm online, with a signature, before any referee is contacted.
Referees answer online
A secure link by email and text. No login, any device, a signed answer.
The PDF lands on file
Answers, signature and a timestamped audit trail, ready for the personnel file.
Pre-employment checks, in order.
References are one part of pre employment checks. Here is how they fit with the rest, and which ones RefAssure handles.
Right to work
A legal requirement before anyone starts. Check original documents or use the Home Office online service.
Right to work checks guideDBS, where the role allows
Criminal record checks at the right level for the role. Many roles are not eligible for anything above a basic check.
DBS checks guideReferences, handled by RefAssure
Work history, conduct and reliability from previous employers, chased automatically and filed as a signed PDF.
About the reference checking serviceQualifications
See certificates for anything the job depends on, or confirm with the awarding body. You can also ask referees to confirm them.
What the employer referee sends back.
A structured answer you can compare across candidates, not a two-line email that says “yes, they worked here”.
- Every question from your template, answered in the same format
- Ratings shown as clear bars, from 1 to 10
- The referee’s signature and the time they submitted
- Consent, requests and reminders logged on the same PDF
What to ask an employer referee.
Add these to your template once, and every hiring manager in every team asks the same thing.
Facts the referee can confirm
How they did the job
Starting from scratch? Use our free employment reference template, or upload the form you use today.
Reminders go out without HR.
5 emails and up to 2 texts over 12 days. The chase stops the moment the referee submits.
Can an employer refuse to give a reference?
Usually, yes. In most jobs there is no legal duty to provide one, although some regulated roles are an exception and a contract can promise a reference. A refusal must not be discriminatory or a way of victimising someone. When a reference is given it should be true, accurate and fair, which is why many employers keep to facts. Acas has plain guidance, and our FAQs go further.
For you as the hiring employer, that means planning for a short or factual reply. Ask for two referees, make the questions easy to answer, and let RefAssure tell you early if one goes quiet or bounces.
| Your reference process | Email and phone | With RefAssure |
|---|---|---|
| Questions asked | Depends on the hiring manager | The same template for every hire |
| Follow up | HR remembers, or it stalls | Automatic reminders over 12 days |
| Candidate consent | Rarely written down | Signed online, timestamped |
| On the personnel file | Forwarded emails and call notes | One signed PDF with an audit trail |
| Who can use it | Whoever owns the inbox | Unlimited team members, shared credits |
Employer reference questions.
Pricing is per reference, from 80p. How pay per reference works.
What is an employment reference check?
An employment reference check asks a candidate’s previous employer to confirm facts such as job title, dates and duties, and often to rate their work and conduct. It is usually one of the last pre-employment checks before an offer becomes unconditional.
Can an employer refuse to give a reference?
In most cases, yes. There is generally no legal duty to give a reference, though some regulated roles, such as in financial services, are an exception and a contract can promise one. An employer must not refuse for a discriminatory reason or to victimise someone. Acas publishes guidance, and our FAQs cover it in full.
What can an employer say in a reference?
A reference should be true, accurate and fair. Many employers keep to facts such as dates and job title, while others answer questions about performance and conduct. A structured form helps the employer referee answer what you need, in the same format for every candidate.
How long do employment reference checks take?
On RefAssure the median time from request to completed reference is about 23 hours, and half come back within a day. About 4 in 10 arrive after an automatic reminder, so nobody in HR has to chase.
Do I need the candidate’s consent before contacting referees?
Asking first is good practice under UK GDPR and it avoids surprises. RefAssure collects the candidate’s consent online, with a signature, before any referee is contacted, and records the time on the report.
Does RefAssure do right to work or DBS checks?
No. RefAssure handles references. Right to work checks and DBS checks are separate checks you run through GOV.UK and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Our guides explain right to work checks and DBS checks.
How much does an employee reference check cost?
Your first reference is free. After that each reference costs between 99p and 80p depending on the pack, with no monthly fee, no contract and no VAT added. Credits never expire. See pricing.
Related guides
Hire with the facts on file.
Your first reference is free. Send it in two minutes and let RefAssure do the chasing.