From 6 April 2022 the UK government introduced the concept of the identity service provider (IDSP). Employers can use an IDSP to utilise Identification Document Validation Technology (IDVT) to carry out a digital right to work check on behalf of British and Irish citizens who hold a valid passport (including Irish passport cards).
From 1 October 2022 employers will no longer be able to use the Covid-adjusted right to work check, which allowed a candidate to show their passport on a video call. Instead they either have to perform a physical, face-to-face check, or use an IDSP.
While it is not mandatory for employers to use a certified IDSP for the purposes of right to work, the Home Office recommends it, as it provides assurance that the provider meets relevant scheme guidance and standards.
For Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, which most IDSPs are often also certified to perform, employers must use a certified IDSP.
This page gives a brief overview of each IDSP, the services they offer around online right to work checks, and whether they are are also government-certified to carry out DBS checks. When choosing a right to work IDSP employers should consider whether the provider’s service is tailored towards the onboarding process.
What is an IDSP?
An identity service provider (IDSP) is a provider of ID verification services. Sometimes referred to as identity providers, they require certification to perform right-to-work (RTW) and right-to-rent (RTR) checks, and also DBS checks.
The focus of some IDSPs is more around anti-money laundering, right to rent and other identity services, whereas those with a track record working with recruiters and employers are more likely to offer other relevant services that might help to streamline your candidate experience.
As well as certified providers this page also includes some background checking suppliers whose certification is pending, or who have partnered with a certified IDSP to process right to work checks.
Providers are listed alphabetically.
IDSP providers
Amiqus
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
Amiqus received certification as part of the UK government’s Digital Identity & Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF) as an identity service provider (IDSP) for right to work checks and DBS criminal record checks in August 2022.
Founder and CEO Callum Murray said: “Over the last few years, we’ve proven our ability to digitally support the needs of government, NHS, regulators and regulated organisations across sectors at scale to support their pre-employment screening and compliance onboarding.
“Now, as a certified IDSP to the UK government national trust framework as well as aligning with the DBS and Right to Work schemes, we’re offering an accredited end-to-end approach to our clients covering all aspects of identity orchestration, verification, criminal record checking and digital back office management. The result is a fast, simple and secure digital process for both candidates and internal teams.”
Based in Edinburgh, Amiqus’s services include: a biometric passport check allowing advanced verification of ID documents through its mobile app, reducing fraud and identity theft risk by reading and validating data directly from an e-Passport chip; and a facial similarity photo check. Facial recognition technology biometrically compares a live selfie of an individual against the image in their ID document for facial similarity, recording any discrepancies and attempts to trick the system, adding an extra layer of security. This, says Amiqus, entirely removes the need to meet candidates or clients face-to-face.
Clients include: the Scottish Government, the NHS Business Service Authority and the Law Society of Scotland. Prices are £7.50 per candidate for pre-employment checks for teams typically onboarding 12 or more people per month; £6.75 for more than 55 people per month, with custom pricing available for volume recruitment.
Website: amiqus.co
Atlantic Data
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
Atlantic Data is based in Milton Keynes and has an office in Mangalore, India. Since 2000, Atlantic has consistently provided business processing services using secure internet technology for our customers, including public sector bodies, private companies and voluntary organisations. In partnership with the DBS, Atlantic delivered Disclosures eBulk, the first official commercially available product enabling organisations to safely conduct DBS checks online. It has now been certified for right to work checking.
Website: atlanticdata.co.uk
Checkback International
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
Checkback International (CBI) has offices in Dublin and its Vetting Solutions Centre also has offices in Hemel Hempstead and Santander, Spain.
Founded as a subsidiary of one of Europe’s largest risk management organisations in the 1990s, Checkback has since evolved into its own group structure, which remains an independently owned company. Over the years it has perfected a specialist screening service, the primary focus of which is to support corporate partners in the screening of potential new staff, to ensure that its HR clients have accurate and verified information. It has recently been certied for right to work checks.
Website: checkback.co.uk
Credas
Certified for Right to Work checks
Credas says it is one of the first anti-money laundering (AML) providers to be certified against the UK DIATF following an extensive assessment of its technology, IT security, processes, policies and governance.
Credas ID checks are done in real time, verifying the person against an identity document with its technology confirming the identity document is genuine. Data is stored securely in the cloud, available to clients when and where they need it.
Based in Cardiff, Credas says it helps clients perform customer due diligence in real-time using cutting-edge facial recognition – reducing complex, time-consuming, resource-intensive and often, expensive processes.
Features include the ability to verify anytime, anywhere with the Credas portal and mobile app. Its facial recognition system is up 97.7% accurate, with 100% accuracy with its NFC chip reading. Employers can brand their portal and fully customise the full candidate journey. All data is stored in the UK and the portal allows seamless integration with current onboarding processes.
Website: credas.co.uk
Deloitte
Certified for Right to Work checks
Deloitte’s GoVerify IDSP service is another government-certified Identity Service Provider. The big four firm is used by, among others, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and WhatsApp, and the technology is used in other countries as well as the UK.
The GoVerify platform is an end-to-end right to work technology service that incorporates document capture with immigration data. Its technology ensures large employers and multinational organisations have a secure system and process in place that not only verifies documentation and identity, but also meets all necessary requirements outlined in employers’ guides and right to work checks.
Email: [email protected]
Digidentity
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
Netherlands-based Digidentity was established in 2008, with a clear goal in mind: to enable and protect people’s digital lives.
Its Identity Wallet makes makes electronic signatures, identification and numerous other secure processes more efficient than previously possible, and it says it has identified more than 25 million identities.
Digidentity is certified as an IDSP to perform digital identity checks for the right to work, right to rent, and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) schemes, in line with the DIATF. Digidentity performs identity checks using the requirements in GPG44 and GPG45 that included identity document validation, biometric verification and fraud detection.
Digidentity is also certified against EU Regulation 910/2014 (eIDAS), which provides requirements for advance and qualified electronic signature, electronic seals and electronic identification.
Website: digidentity.eu
Experian
Uncertified but partnering with a certified IDSP
Experian offers full remote RTW checks via a certified IDSP solution. It says it offers a complete suite of RTW checks including recruiter and candidate apps to support both the capture of remote and face-to-face checks, along with an HR portal to offer full end to end audit control and governance.
Website: experian.co.uk
GBG
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
GBG Identify is a multi-channel identity verification service which has achieved IDSP certification for both medium and high levels of confidence. GBG offers multiple Software Development Kits (SDKs) that enable its customers to get up and running quickly, utilising a tried-and-tested user experience across hundreds of customers and millions of end users.
GBG provides industry-leading onboarding experience while ensuring the highest level of authentication, so that its customers can meet compliance and fraud mitigation needs. GBG hase also introduced a new mobile application, enabling customers to implement its solutions with near to no development.
Jonathan Jensen, regulatory policy adviser at GBG, said: “Policy surrounding digital identity is still very much in its infancy, but it is beginning to emerge around the globe as adoption of identity verification technology continues at pace. The DIATF represents a huge step forward in policy for digital identity in the UK but also sets an example for regulation around the globe that will improve compliance and build confidence in online identity verification.”
Modernising identity checking processes and negating the need for physical checks significantly reduces the time needed to process applications, as well as ensuring compliance, security and privacy, said GBG. It added that its solution can also be added into a company’s existing onboarding journey ensuring users have a streamlined candidate experience on one platform.
Website: gbgplc.com
HooYu
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
The amusingly named HooYu was the second company to be granted government-certified IDSP status and provides identity verification services for right to work, right to rent and criminal records checks. Part of Nasdaq-listed Mitek, the company has its UK roots in 192.com, the online directory.
Common IDSP definitions
AML: anti-money laundering
DBS: Disclosure & Barring Service (for criminal record checks)
DIATF: The UK government’s Digital Identity & Attributes Trust Framework
GDPR: General Data Protection Regulation
GPG45: Good Practice Guide on proving and verifying some’s identity
HLoC: high level of confidence
IDSP: identity service provider
IDVT: identity document validation technology
LoC: level of confidence
MLoC: medium level of confidence
NFC: near-field communication (e.g. the microchip in an e-Passport)
NVN: negative verification notice, confirmation that a person does not have the right to work
PVN: positive verification notice
RTR: right to rent
RTW: right to work
UKDIATF: see DIATF
Gareth Narinesingh, head of digital identity at HooYu, commented, “Digital identity is at the heart of the UK government’s digital strategy and HooYu’s certification as an identity service provider means that businesses and consumers can trust what we do and the way we do it.
“We have worked tirelessly to build world-class identity solutions and being certified in this way is testament to our expertise and product capability.”
No more chasing candidates for documents, photocopying or emailing ID documents, HooYu days it delivers a more secure worker/candidate identity checking process.
It says its HooYu Identify product seamlessly fits into its clients’ business processes for candidate and worker vetting. It can be integrated into employers’ career sites or applicant tracking systems. HooYu Identify confirms the candidate’s ID through a facial biometric test, a digital footprint analysis and identity document verification and proof of address.
Recruiters can decide what strength of identity confirmation they require, so candidates or workers must provide one, two or more ID documents alongside their digital identity. HooYu then analyses the data, providing an overview of the candidate’s verification and confirmation that they have passed their onboarding ID screening.
Website: hooyu.com
ID-Pal
Certified for Right to Work Checks
ID-Pal is an award-winning identity verification solution that enables businesses of any size to check a candidates’ eligibility to work in the UK, while meeting Home Office compliance requirements.
Its digital identity document validation technology (IDVT) combines industry-leading biometric, document and database checks to verify that the person is who they say they are and provides a comprehensive report that helps confirm whether they have the right to work in the UK.
Your job candidate captures images of their ID documents, whcih are then verified using biometric, document and database checks, and then a comprehensive due diligence report is generated and securely stored.
ID-Pal’s technology is available out of the box or can be integrated into existing business processes.
Website: id-pal.com
KPMG
Certification pending for Right to Work Checks
Big four firm KPMG is currently in the process of becoming a certified IDSP for Right to Work Checks. Before the changes to right to work were announced earlier in 2022, KPMG had been providing technology to support its clients to manage their right to work obligations for over more than five years. It says its app enables employers to ensure the required checks are being completed and comply with the latest UK, EU and EEA legislation.
Website: home.kpmg
Northrow
Certified for Right to Work Checks
As a certified provider under the recently launched framework, NorthRow has received approval from the Home Office that its identification document validation technology (IDVT) can verify a person’s identity to a level of confidence, which is the desired level of identity assurance recommended for employers engaging an IDSP for right-to-work checks.
Website: northrow.com
NSL Checking
Certified for Right to Work Checks
NSL Checking, part of Marston Holdings, provides organisations in both the public and the private sectors with a one-stop solution for ID document validation, right to work verification, DBS checks, and other background screening services.
Supporting local authorities, the NHS and national retail chains across the UK and Ireland, it claims to provide unmatched levels of service and support.
Verifying whether a prospective employee on a time-limited visa has a right to take up work in the UK can be a complicated and time consuming task. NSL says it provides an efficient solution with trained and experienced vetting officers and a simple to use onboarding system, which integrates with existing ATS and onboarding systems to ensure that right to work issues can be expertly managed.
Website: marstonholdings.co.uk
OCR Labs
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
OCR Labs Global is focused on making identity verification effortless through technology, building intelligent tools that protect users from identity fraud while enabling a “seamless identity experience”. OCR Labs says it “removes the burden of identity verification” for its customers so they can focus on scaling their business without the compliance and operational overheads.
Its technology uses advanced image analysis and deep learning technology, securely verifying identity in seconds with just their ID and a smartphone.
OCR Labs is partnering with Reed Screening, part of Reed Recruitment. Keith Rosser, director of Reed Screening, commented: “Our collaboration with OCR Labs Global has had a transformative impact on our overall vision for digital-based hiring.
“It can now be conducted from anywhere; the system is easy to engage with for work seekers and opens up a level of employment opportunities that wouldn’t have been available to them before. This technology means companies across the UK can hire from any talent pool regardless of location, aiding the levelling up agenda and helping UK companies compete internationally.”
Website: ocrlabs.com
Onfido
Certified for Right to Work checks
Founded in 2012, Onfido – pronounced ‘on-fee-doh’ is a mix of two latin words: ‘fido’ meaning trust, and ‘confido’ meaning confidence. With 650 staff worldwide, Onfido says it helps more than 850 clients verify their customers. It received certified IDSP status for right to work checks in September 2022.
Onfido’s RTW check analyses documents to verify that they are genuine. Using its algorithm, it compares details such as date of birth and expiry date to ensure validity. It analyses the document image to ensure authenticity, and checks whether the document has been compromised, or recorded as lost or stolen. Any suspicions will be raised in the results provided.
Finally, the check confirms whether the applicant has the right to work in the UK and if there are any stipulations, such as an expiration date or job role restrictions.
Website: onfido.com
Referoo
Uncertified but partnering with Hooyu
Another wittily-named provider is Referoo, emanating from Australia. While not a certified IDSP itself, Referoo announced in September 2022 that it is partnering with Hooyu (see above) to deliver digital right to work checks for candidates in the UK and Ireland.
Through this partnership, employers are able to use Referoo for right to work checks, together with its online reference checking technology. Referoo says its security and fraud detection tools keeps employers’ reference checking processes secure and compliant, and biometric identity verification gives you certainty of identity across candidates and referees.
At the time of publication Referoo’s UK team were offering a 14-day free trial to new customers.
Website: referoo.com
Rightcheck
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
T4 Communications, trading as Rightcheck, achieved its certification to carry out right to work checks and DBS checks in July 2022, in line with the the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF). Its app, available on the App Store and Google Play, is installed by anyone on your recruitment team giving them the freedom to conduct RTW checks whenever and wherever your business needs them.
Similarly Rightcheck’s web portal allows you to view and control all candidate right to work checks across the business, aligning the process with your internal HR policies and procedures, with built-in security features to authenticate ID documents.
Rightcheck say this can create a strong impression of efficiency with candidates, providing them with confidence in your handling of their personal data and ensuring compliance with GDPR. Free trials are available for new users.
Rightcheck was launched in 2017 and its technology is now in its thrid generation. The tech can be integrated with numerous HR software providers including Oracle Peoplesoft, SAP SuccessFactors and SmartRecruiters to name just a few.
Website: rightcheck.io
Spotlite
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
CDD Services, trading as Spotlite, provide a range of compliance and due diligence services for employers, recruitment agencies, as well as the property and financial sectors. Its web pages spell out that while manual (face-to-face) right to work checks have always been acceptable, recruiters are no more documentation experts than they are trained border guards or regulatory wizards.
It is not cost-effective or friction-free, says CDD, to impose travel or courier costs on the business or its customers. As those of us in HR and recruitment get their heads around “digital identity”, Spotlite compares manual identity checks to Kodak or Blockbuster when facing advent of digital photography or Netflix.
It says employers should be prepared for re-usable digital identity credentials and services, that governments are supporting and encouraging, as these will change the way we work.
Website: cdd.services
Sterling
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
Sterling boasts more than 50,000 clients worldwide and carries out more than 95 million checks of various kinds each year. Its right to work verification uses ID technology that can be integrated into a wider background screening program to
support more accurate, efficient hiring decisions. Using facial recognition and fraud-detection technology, its service provides a guided journey for candidates where they can upload copies of required documents along with a selfie using any desktop or mobile device.
Sterling’s solution is available to employers as a stand-alone service to help ensure UK right to work obligations are met, or as part of a wider background-screening programme to mitigate the risk of a bad hire.
Candidates follow simple, guided steps to snap pictures of their right to work documentation and themselves with their smartphone. Sterling technology uses artificial intelligence-powered software to validate the documents, and facial recognition technology matches the candidate’s selfie to the photo on the documents.
Sterling’s algorithm verifies your candidate’s identity, matching selfies with documentation, determines document authenticity and then delivers the results to the employer.
It adds that its platform is built to automatically update and incorporate Home Office guidance relating to relevant regulatory requirements, meaning employers can be confident that hiring compliance obligations have been considered.
Website: sterlingcheck.co.uk
TrustID
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
TrustID became a certified digital identity service provider (IDSP) for right to work, right to rent and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks under the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework in June 2022.
TrustID’s wide range of right to work software services are designed to make compliance simpler, whether you’re checking ID documents for a few employees or for thousands, and whether you’re making digital checks or seeing candidates face to face. It supports businesses of all sizes across a variety of industries, including cleaning, care, hospitality, retail, recruitment and construction.
Its services offer a choice of validation methods:
- a cloud-based service which doesn’t require anything to be downloaded by the employer or applicant, meeting both medium and high levels of confidence, or
- a service which requires an App to be downloaded to open a document’s microchip, providing the option to achieve a high level of confidence.
Its identity document validation technology (IDVT) checks the validity of documents and verifies a prospective employee’s identity within one business hour. TrustID says it offers a combination of technology and an expert human analyst team who are on hand seven days a week to establish eligibility to work and help with support and guidance.
Website: trustid.co.uk
Xydus
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
Xydus, formerly Paycasso, also received its certied status as an IDSP in June 2022 for right to work checks and DBS checks.
“I can’t think of a much bigger challenge for where we are technically in the world than doing something helpful around core identity.” These were the words of CEO Russell King which led to him founding the company in 2012, setting its sights on transforming a fractured end-to-end process in identity management.
Xydus’ mission is “fixing identity management from the inside, while allowing our technology to flex with the evolution of the businesses and processes it’s serving”. No matter how much the world around us changes, we will remain resolute in our commitment to our values and how they guide our work and relationships with our clients and partners.
Its services help recruiters meet the medium level of confidence according to the Good Practice Guide 45 when making digital right to work checks.
The Xydus platform codifies and cross-checks every readable component of government issued IDs, delivering binary, fact-based outputs. It says its tech removes human bias, delivering purely algorithmic-based and authentication derived from government-issued documents that include the facial verification.
Website: xydus.com
Vetting Solutions Centre
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
Vetting Solutions Centre is part of Checkback International, listed above. Founded as a subsidiary of one of Europe’s largest risk management organisations in the 1990s, Checkback has since evolved into its own group structure, which remains an independently owned company. Over the years it has perfected a specialist screening service, the primary focus of which is to support corporate partners in the screening of potential new staff, to ensure that its HR clients have accurate and verified information. It has recently been certied for right to work checks.
Website: checkback.co.uk
Yoti & Post Office
Certified for Right to Work and DBS Checks
Yoti is working the Post Office and were made the UK’s first certified Identity Services Provider (IDSP) for right to work checks in May 2022. “The best bit?” asks Yoti, “Compliance is on us. We’ll arm you with a statutory excuse to avoid a civil penalty, so you can have one less thing to worry about.”
First-time candidates can upload their documents and a selfie to your website or app, while frequent movers can create a reusable digital ID on their phone and share identity details pre-verified by Yoti. Those that prefer some human assistance can take their documents to a Post Office branch to be scanned.
Yoti sends you a report including an image of the candidate’s passport to you with the metadata that includes its certification as an IDSP. Employers can securely store employee data on its encrypted systems and access it when needed, or view it in its portal for easy candidate management.
As well as right to work checks, Yoti also provides DBS checks and an e-signature platform for employment contracts.
Website: yoti.com
This page was correct at the time of publication and is based on information available from the government’s list of certified IDSPs and on the providers’ websites.
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It is reviewed regularly to ensure it’s up to date.
Please email Rob Moss with any further information or if you have any feedback on any of the providers listed.
