Improve the efficiency of your hiring and onboarding processes with structured credit checks for employment. Employee credit checks enable you as a hiring organisation to assess your prospective candidates’ financial backgrounds and mitigate any possible risks posed to your business.
What is a Credit Check?
An employment credit check is a common type of background check used by organisations to assess and determine the risks of new and existing employees. These checks are commonly known as credit score checks or credit reference checks.
These checks identify information about an applicant’s credit history, including:
- Address History
- Electoral roll data
- Bankruptcy
- Insolvency
- Debt Relief Orders
- IVAs (Individual Voluntary Arrangements)
- CCJs (County Court Judgements)
- Sanctions
An employee credit check identifies information - from the past six years - which is relevant to their ongoing or prospective employment.
No need to sign up. Just order your credit check and we will instantly send your candidate the link to complete their form.
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Why Do Employers Perform Credit Score Checks?
Business owners, directors and HR professionals would argue that assessing a candidate’s financial credit history prior to employment reduces the risk of fraud, money laundering or other criminal behaviour finding its way into an organisation.
The other points that a company will be looking for when they check your credit history are outlined below:
Credit checks for employment can be used as a standalone service or regularly used alongside other background checks, like identity checks, right to work and DBS checks.
Eligibility for Employment Credit Checks
Organisations authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) must conduct credit reference checks on all employees. FCA guidelines state they are compulsory for companies they regulate; however, many other organisations across various sectors are also incorporating credit checks into their pre-employment screening process.
Several roles within a business involve handling finances or sensitive information, which is where a personal credit check on all applicants can provide peace of mind to hiring managers.
What Information Should Candidates Provide for Credit Checks?
To complete a background and credit check for employment, candidates don’t need to divulge much information. It will only consist of their:
- Title
- Full name (including middle names)
- Current Address
- Date of birth
If you’re looking for a third party background check agency with proven experience helping organisations fulfil their AML compliance requirements, look no further than Eurocom CI.
Will the Employee Credit Check Affect Candidates’ Credit Scores?
Companies can’t see personal credit reports if an employer has checked them, so individual credit ratings won’t be affected. Records are made on credit reports when accessed for specific purposes, such as confirming an applicant’s identity or assessing their suitability for a job. When potential employers conduct a credit check on a candidate, only a soft credit search will be conducted instead of a hard credit search.
For clarity, the difference between soft and hard credit checks is outlined below:
Soft Credit Checks
A soft credit check is an initial look at certain information on your credit file. Soft searches won’t affect your score and aren’t visible to companies.
Hard Credit Checks
A hard credit check is predominantly done when you apply for credit. These can be seen by companies and may affect your score.
Will the Employee Credit Check Affect Candidates’ Credit Scores?
With structured financial checks from Eurocom CI, you’ll be able to:
Credit Check Services for Business
With Eurocom CI, you’re partnering with a technology-led, service-driven and efficient background check company that aims to save you time, money and resources in your pre-employment screening.
When our background screening process starts, all credit searches go directly to the credit check provider, with the results instantly fed into your bespoke software, which we’ll provide to you. We will customise a system using Xavier, which will give you direct, real-time access to your prospective employees’ ongoing credit checks, as well as any other screening requirements, in one single system.
To arrange a free demo, get in touch with Eurocom CI today.
