Frequently Asked Questions

Employment Screening FAQs

Some of our most common employment screening FAQs are regarding the process itself. Once you have accepted your offer of employment, you will receive an email from Credence requesting you to complete an online screening application form. You can do this through a secure (https) website. In the email, we'll give you a temporary access code which you can change when you first log in. After logging in, we'll ask you to enter some details, for example, your employment and education history. The forms are designed so that you will only be asked for information necessary to undertake your background screening. Once you have completed the application form, you can then give consent for Credence to undertake the screening. Depending upon where you have been living within the last 5 to 10 years, there may be other documents you need to upload - but a member of the Credence team will reach out if they're necessary. When Credence have received your consent and associated documents, we will start the screening process, and will report the results to your employer, typically within 10 to 15 working days. You may be contacted by Credence during the process, so we'd greatly appreciate it if you indicated on the application form how you would best like to be contacted.
As Credence is the data processor and not the data controller, the Data Retention Period is down to the data controller - in most cases, this will be the employer we are conducting the screening on behalf of. Our recommended Data Retention Period for background screening data is 6 months.
The data we collect is used solely for the purposes of conducting your background screening on behalf of your employer. The data will not be sold on or used for any other purposes.
Credence takes your privacy seriously. We comply fully with all the UK data protection laws when processing candidate information: including but not limited to the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. All candidate information is stored on our UK ISO 27001 secured data centre. Credence has also obtained ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2013 certifications, in addition to also holding the Cyber Essentials Certification - an IT security certification backed by the UK government. All candidate personal data held is encrypted, so even in the unlikely event of the data being hacked, it will be completely unreadable.
On occasion, we need to use the help of third party sub-contractors. We work with a limited number of companies, all of whom are required to comply with our terms and conditions and supplier management standards. Those located outside of the EEA are also required to complete a risk assessment and sign the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, ensuring the same level of data protection as the EU and UK standards. If a candidate has not resided or worked outside of the EU, none of their data will be transferred outside of the EU, with the exception of French and Arabic checks, which may be sent to our Egyptian sub-contractor to facilitate smooth communication.

Common Employment Screening FAQs for Credence ID Guidelines for Basic DBS Checks

If your screening contains a Basic Criminal Records Check via the DBS (Disclosure and Baring Service), we first have to confirm your ID documents. This will likely be conducted by your employer. Submitting the documents promptly will make the screening process smoother for both you and your employer. The DBS have produced full guidelines on the ID checking process, which can be found on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/basic-check-guidance-and-policies. Your employer will then supply copies of these documents to Credence via our secure online portal. Credence can only accept documents which are on this list and cannot process the DBS checks without confirmation that the suitable documents have been viewed. Incorrect documents will be rejected and could cause delays to your screening. In most cases, the documents required will be from the ‘Route 1’ and include the following:

Your employer will then supply copies of these documents to Credence via our secure online portal. Credence can only accept documents which are on this list and cannot process the DBS checks without confirmation that the suitable documents have been viewed. Incorrect documents will be rejected and could cause delays to your screening. In most cases, the documents required will be from the ‘Route 1’ and include the following:

1 Proof of ID
and
1 Proof of Address

Employment Screening FAQs regarding Proof of ID

Examples of acceptable ID documents:

    • Passport
    •  Biometric residence permit (UK)
    • Driving license photocard (full or provisional) (UK, Isle of Man, Channel Islands and EEA)
    • Birth certificate (issued within 12 months of birth) (UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands – including those issued by UK authorities overseas, e.g. embassies, High Commissions and HM Forces)
    •  Adoption certificate (UK and Channel Islands)

    Important notes:
    1. ID documents must be current and in date.
    2. ID documents must show your full, current name and date of birth.
    3. Where you have changed your name and do not have a proof of ID to show this an additional document to support the name change is required, for example a marriage certificate.

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Employment Screening FAQs regarding Proof of Address

    Most common examples of acceptable proof of current address documents:

    • Valid UK driving license (If this has not been used as ID)
    • Mortgage Statement (Issued in last 12 months)
    • Bank or building society statement (Issued in last 3 months)
    •  Bank or building society account opening confirmation letter (Issued in last 3 months)
    • Credit card statement (Issued in last 3 months)
    • P45 or P60 statement (Issued in last 12 months)
    • Council Tax statement (Issued in last 12 months)
    • Utility bill (excluding mobile phone) (Issued in last 3 months)

    Important notes:
    1. The proof of address document must show your current address, not a previous address.
    2. The document cannot be printed from the internet.

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Helpful Hint

If you have opted for paperless bank statements and utility bills and are struggling to find a suitable proof of address document, you can go into your bank or building society and request that your latest statement be printed. Most banks will also let you request a physical copy through their online banking portals/apps. Credence will then accept this as a proof of address provided it has been stamped and dated by the bank/building society. If you have any further queries or Employment Screening FAQs please contact support(@)credence.co.uk, or call us - our team is here to make the process as smooth as possible.

Other common Employment Screening FAQs