UK Recruitment Glossary
Background Check
In recruiter context
Standard for UK roles above £40k and for any regulated industry (finance, healthcare, legal, public sector). Typical scope: identity verification, right-to-work, employment dates and titles for the last 5-10 years, qualifications verified directly with awarding bodies, references from named contacts, and for some roles a basic DBS or financial-services FCA check. Most checks are run by third parties (HireRight, Sterling, Onfido). Lying about employment dates is the #1 reason offers get withdrawn at this stage — much more common than candidates think. Be precise and consistent across CV, LinkedIn, and application form. Discrepancies under 30 days are usually overlooked; longer ones get queried.
Related terms
Job Offer
A formal proposal of employment from an employer, usually issued verbally first then confirmed in wr…
Statutory Sick Pay
The legal minimum your UK employer must pay you when you're too ill to work — currently £116.75/week…
Transferable Skills
Skills built in one context (industry, role) that apply to another — the engine of any career change…
Reskilling
Learning new skills to move into a different career or industry — the deeper version of upskilling.