Personnel Checks

Personnel Checks: background checks for businesses and individuals in the UK

Personnel Checks presents itself as a British background check provider operating nationwide. Its proposition centres on an online platform for managing checks, with the promise of no set-up fees, contracts or hidden costs, and a pay-as-you-go model. The company claims to be the UK's top-rated background check provider, a claim it supports with its status as a registered body with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and with its customer reviews.

DBS check services

The company's catalogue includes all three levels of DBS check: Basic, Standard and Enhanced. For the Enhanced level, there is a specific route for self-employed workers, channelled through a dedicated website (MyCheck). The firm also offers the DBS Update Service, which allows the status of already-issued certificates to be checked.

The company states that DBS applications can start being processed in as little as 30 minutes through its platform, which it describes as the most user-friendly on the market. It also notes that it has been helping businesses and individuals obtain these checks for over 20 years.

Other pre-employment checks

Beyond DBS checks, Personnel Checks offers a range of verifications aimed at recruitment and regulatory compliance:

• Right to Work checks: a mandatory check for all UK employers, with a digital solution that captures auditable data, whether through digital identity verification or manual methods.
• Online ID verification: allows document verification for DBS applications to be completed digitally; the applicant uploads their ID to the portal and the technology processes the rest.
• Adverse financial checks: assess the applicant's financial history through trusted data sources, identifying County Court Judgments (CCJs), bankruptcies, Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) and other relevant records.
• Social media checks: review public content combining artificial intelligence and human oversight to detect potential risks, such as discriminatory or violent behaviour, or reputational concerns.
• DVLA checks: allow verification of driving licence validity, disqualifications, penalty points, endorsements and the vehicles the holder is legally allowed to drive.
• Other checks: the website also mentions BPSS, SMCR and taxi licensing checks.

Technology platform and candidate experience

The company highlights its proprietary technology as a differentiator. Among the advanced features it mentions are DBS Update Service status checks and online ID verification, integrated into its platform. For applicants, it has a dedicated support team and a simplified application process. The firm also emphasises the quality of its customer service, which it describes as the best rated in the sector.

Pricing and contracting model

Personnel Checks insists on a model with no set-up fees, no contracts and no hidden costs, with pay-as-you-go pricing. According to the information published, the company works with more than 800 registered bodies that collaborate with the Disclosure and Barring Service. It serves both small employers needing a single check and large companies seeking strategic screening partnerships.

Regulatory updates and resources

The website includes a news and resources section with information on legislative changes. Among the topics covered are the reduction in DBS fees from 5 October 2026 (Basic and Standard checks to £20, Enhanced to £41 and the Update Service to £15 per year, with volunteers exempt), the removal of the supervision exemption for activities with children from 1 September 2026, and the new possibility for self-employed workers to apply directly for Enhanced DBS checks through a registered umbrella body. Martyn's Law is also mentioned, which received Royal Assent in April 2025 but is not expected to come into force before April 2027.

Structure and presence

The company has a sister company, TaxiPlus, aimed at taxi and private hire vehicle drivers who need to carry out DBS checks. Personnel Checks serves both businesses and individuals and self-employed workers, with different channels for each profile.

Location and contact

Phone: 01254 355688 · Email: letstalk@personnelchecks.co.uk · Hours: Monday to Friday 08:30 to 17:00