Stop chasing referees.
Start hiring faster.
RefAssure automates employment reference checking for UK recruiters, HR teams and employers. Candidate consent, referee requests, automated chasing, professional PDF reports — all handled for you. From 99p per reference, no monthly fees, no contracts.
What is automated reference checking software?
Automated reference checking software replaces the manual process of drafting emails, chasing unresponsive referees, and compiling responses into reports. Instead, the software handles the entire process automatically — from sending the initial request to generating the final PDF report.
RefAssure goes a step further. Before any referee is contacted, it collects written, timestamped consent from the candidate by email and SMS. This satisfies GDPR requirements, meets KCSIE obligations for education providers, and supports CQC safe recruitment evidence in care settings. It is a step most reference checking tools skip entirely.
The result: a reference that takes under 2 minutes to set up, compared to 45–90 minutes of active consultant time for a manual process — at a fraction of the cost of subscription-based alternatives.
Everything included in every reference
No add-ons, no extra charges, no hidden costs. Every credit includes the full feature set.
Candidate consent — automatic
Before any referee is contacted, the candidate receives an email and SMS requesting written consent. Timestamped, stored, and included in the PDF report. GDPR gold standard.
Branded reference requests
Professional email sent to the referee instantly on your behalf, with a secure unique link to the online reference form. No login required for referees.
Automated email chasing
Up to 5 automated email chasers sent over 12 days if the referee does not respond. Zero manual intervention required after setup.
SMS reminders
2 SMS reminders sent to the referee during the chase sequence. Significantly better response rates than email alone.
Professional PDF reports
A branded PDF report with the full reference responses, referee details, consent record and timestamped audit trail generated automatically on completion.
Full audit trail
Every action is timestamped and logged — request sent, chasers delivered, consent recorded, referee submitted. Suitable for CQC, Ofsted and regulatory inspections.
Custom question templates
Build templates with ratings, yes/no, short text, long text and date fields. Save templates for different roles, sectors or clients. Unlimited templates.
Unlimited team members
Add your entire recruitment or HR team at no extra cost. Credits are pooled across the account — no per-seat or per-user fees ever.
Dashboard overview
See all candidates, pending references, completion rates and credit balance at a glance. Know exactly where every reference stands at any time.
Six steps. Completely automated.
You add the candidate. RefAssure handles everything else — candidate consent, referee requests, chasing, and the PDF report.
Add your candidate
Enter name, email and mobile. Select your reference template. Under 2 minutes per candidate.
Candidate consent
RefAssure contacts the candidate by email and SMS. They consent and submit referee details — timestamped automatically before any referee is approached.
Referee request sent
Branded email with a secure form link sent instantly. No login required for referees.
Automatic chasing
5 email chasers + 2 SMS reminders sent automatically over 12 days. Zero manual effort.
Reference submitted
Referee submits. You are notified instantly. Responses stored in your dashboard.
PDF report delivered
Professional PDF with full audit trail, consent record and timestamps generated automatically.
Reference checking guides by sector
Every sector has different compliance requirements. RefAssure supports them all — with dedicated guidance for each.
Recruitment Agencies
Multi-sector guide to automated reference checking for UK staffing and recruitment agencies.
Read moreEducation & Safeguarding
KCSIE-compliant references for schools, MATs, education agencies and supply teaching staff.
Read moreCare Agencies
CQC-compliant reference checking for domiciliary care, supported living and care home recruitment.
Read moreHealthcare
Reference documentation for NHS and private healthcare placements, clinical and non-clinical.
Read moreTemporary Recruitment
High-volume reference checking for temp, industrial and warehouse staffing agencies.
Read moreTry a Template
Build a reference template and preview exactly what the referee will see — before you commit.
Try it nowHow RefAssure compares to the alternatives
Most reference checking software charges £50–£500 per month before you have sent a single reference. RefAssure charges only for what you use.
| Xref, Zinc, Checkster | RefAssure | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £50–£500/month | £0 — none ever |
| Per reference cost | £3–£8 per reference | From 99p per reference |
| Candidate consent | Rarely included | Automatic, timestamped |
| Setup fee | Often £200–£500 | None |
| Contract required | Usually 12 months | No contract |
| Per-user fees | £10–£50 per seat/month | Unlimited users included |
| SMS chasing | Rarely included | Always included |
| Credits expire | Monthly allowance lost | Never expire |
90% cheaper than subscription reference checking software
The average UK recruitment agency processing 50 references a month pays £400–£500 in subscription fees plus £3–£8 per reference with leading platforms. With RefAssure, the same volume costs £45 — that is 90 percent less, with more features included as standard.
The most affordable reference checking software in the UK
Most platforms charge £50–£500/month before a single reference is sent. RefAssure charges only for what you use — from 99p per reference, no monthly fees, no contracts.
All packs include everything — email chasing, SMS reminders, PDF reports, audit trail, unlimited team members. Credits never expire. Full pricing details →
How much could you save with RefAssure?
Move the slider to see how much you could save by switching from manual reference checking or expensive platforms.
What automated reference checking actually looks like
No demo required — here is what RefAssure looks like inside.
Track every reference from your dashboard
See the status of every reference at a glance — who's been requested, who's responded, and which are complete. No more digging through email threads or spreadsheets.
Filter by status, search by name, and download completed reports in one click. Everything your team needs, in one place.
Professional PDF reports with full audit trail
Every completed reference generates a clean PDF report — employment dates, job title, ratings, reason for leaving, comments, and a complete timestamped audit trail. All in one document.
Download it, attach it to your ATS or HR files, and you have a defensible compliance record for inspections, audits or regulatory reviews. No more screenshots of emails.
Reference checking software — questions answered
Automated reference checking software sends employment reference requests on your behalf, chases referees who do not respond, collects candidate consent before contacting referees, and generates professional PDF reports with a full audit trail — without manual intervention. RefAssure does all of this automatically from a 2-minute setup per candidate.
Manual reference checking requires consultants to draft and send emails, make follow-up calls, and compile responses into reports — typically 45 to 90 minutes of active effort per reference. RefAssure replaces this entirely. After a 2-minute setup, the system sends requests, chases referees up to 7 times by email and SMS, and generates a professional PDF report automatically.
Most references are completed within 24 to 72 hours. Requests are sent instantly, and automated chasers go out if a referee has not responded. This is significantly faster than the 5 to 14 days that manual reference chasing typically takes.
RefAssure sends reference requests to referees instantly the moment you add a candidate. The referee receives an immediate email with a secure link to complete the reference online. While overall turnaround depends on how quickly the referee responds, automated chasing significantly speeds up completion — most references return within 1 to 3 days compared to 1 to 2 weeks manually.
Yes. RefAssure contacts the candidate first by email and SMS to collect written, timestamped consent before any referee is approached. This is GDPR best practice, a requirement under KCSIE for education providers, and expected in regulated sectors including care and healthcare. The consent record is included in every PDF report.
RefAssure uses pay-as-you-go credits with no monthly fees. Credits start from £9.99 for 10 references (99p each). Larger packs reduce the cost to as low as 80p per reference. There are no contracts, no setup fees, and credits never expire. Subscription alternatives typically charge £50 to £500 per month plus per-reference fees of £3 to £8.
RefAssure is one of the most affordable automated reference checking platforms in the UK at 99p per reference. Unlike competitors who charge £3 to £5 per reference plus monthly platform subscriptions, RefAssure has no monthly fee, no annual contract, and no minimum commitment. You only pay for the references you use.
Yes. RefAssure operates on a pay-as-you-go credit system. Buy credits when you need them and use them at your own pace. There is no monthly subscription, no annual contract, and no minimum spend. Credits never expire, making it ideal for agencies with variable or seasonal hiring volumes.
The request, consent collection, chasing, and PDF report generation are all automated. Reviewing the completed reference and making a hiring decision remains a human responsibility. RefAssure automates the entire administrative process and delivers a clean report for your team to act on.
Yes. For education, the platform satisfies KCSIE candidate consent requirements automatically. For care, the full audit trail and PDF reports support CQC inspection requirements. For healthcare, structured templates capture employment history, fitness to practise and conduct. Custom templates allow sector-specific questions on every reference.
Yes. RefAssure has no per-user fees. Add unlimited team members to a single account and share a pooled credit balance. This makes it cost-effective for solo recruiters and large multi-consultant agencies alike.
No. Referees receive a secure, unique link directly to the online reference form. There is no account to create, no login, and no software to install. This removes friction and consistently improves completion rates compared to manual email-based processes.
Everything RefAssure
The full guide to automated reference checking for UK recruiters and employers.
Explore every aspect of reference checking software
From instant turnaround to sector-specific compliance — in-depth guides covering every angle of automated reference checking for UK organisations.
More sector-specific guides available — see agencies, education and care.
The smartest way to check references.
From 99p.
Join UK recruiters and HR teams using RefAssure to complete references faster, more consistently, and at a fraction of the cost of doing it manually or via subscription software.
From 99p per reference · No monthly fees · Credits never expire · UK GDPR compliant · UK data hosting