Identity checks
Please be aware, temporary pre-employment check measures were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these measures have now come to an end, will be coming to an end soon, or have been incorporated into permanent arrangements. Please read the information available in our guidance section.
This standard outlines the requirements to verify the identity of all prospective employees in the NHS.
Checking a candidate's identity is the most fundamental of all the pre-employment requirements, as it forms the basis of all other checks.
The identity check standard includes:
- examples of acceptable forms of documentary evidence in appendix 1
- guidance on checking documents for authenticity in appendix 2.
This standard does not outline the checks or documentary evidence required to assess a candidate's right to work. You should refer to the right to work checks standard which outlines the checks required to verify an individual's legal right to work in the UK.
Further guidance
See a list of recommended persons of some standing in the community who can be asked to counter-sign passport-sized photographs where individuals are genuinely unable to provide other forms of photographic personal ID.
There are six employment check standards that employers must undertake as part of their recruitment processes. Read the background information about the purpose of the standards, who they apply to and how to meet compliance.
Identity checks FAQs
The questions and answers below summarise those we are regularly asked by NHS organisations, agencies and third party contractors. They should be read in conjunction with our identity check standard.
Please also read our employment checks general FAQ page as an answer to your query may be found on there.
If your query is not covered, please contact the employment checks team.
