Pre-Employment Checks on a Budget: What Small Businesses Can Do

Hiring the right person is crucial for any business, but for small businesses, it can make or break your team. The challenge? Doing proper pre-employment checks without blowing the budget. The good news is, you don’t need expensive software or agencies to protect your business. With the right strategy, you can carry out smart, cost-effective checks that still give you peace of mind.

Why Pre-Employment Checks Matter—Even for Small Teams

It’s tempting to skip formal checks when you’re hiring a small team or your first employee. But even one bad hire can lead to lost time, damaged trust, or costly legal issues. Pre-employment checks help ensure that the person you’re bringing in is who they say they are, can legally work for you, and has the skills and values to do the job properly. Therefore, you’re reducing hiring risks with thorough vetting.

1. Right to Work Checks—Free and Essential

This check is a legal requirement in the UK and completely free to do. All you need is to view original documents (like a passport or biometric residence card), confirm they match the individual, and keep a clear dated copy for your records.

2. Basic DBS Checks—Affordable Peace of Mind

If the role involves handling sensitive data, working with money, or supporting vulnerable people, a basic DBS check can be a wise investment.

Cost: Around £18 for a basic check (more for enhanced levels).
🔹 Tip: If the role doesn’t legally require a full check, a basic one might be sufficient and cheaper.

3. DIY Reference Checks—Quick, Free, and Insightful

One of the most underrated (and free) tools is a good old-fashioned reference call or email. Reach out to previous employers and ask about:

• Job title and responsibilities
• Attendance and reliability
• Whether they’d hire the person again

You’ll often pick up on red flags or great qualities that aren’t on the CV.

Verify Qualifications Without Paying for a Service

If someone lists specific qualifications or professional memberships, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask for original certificates. For extra confidence:

• Cross-check university awards with institutions (many have online lookup tools).
• Call the awarding body directly if you need to verify something specific.

Ask Value-Based Questions to Assess Culture Fit

You don’t need a fancy psychometric tool to get a sense of someone’s fit for your company. Use value-based or scenario questions like:

• “Tell me about a time you dealt with a tricky customer.”
• “What do you value most in a workplace?”

You’re looking for signs that their approach aligns with your company’s values and working style.

Google & LinkedIn Can Go a Long Way

While you shouldn’t rely solely on social media, doing a quick Google and LinkedIn search can confirm career history, highlight public endorsements, and flag anything unusual.
Just remember: Stick to publicly available info and don’t judge based on personal lifestyle choices.

Health Declarations—Keep It Simple and Respectful

If the role has physical or mental demands, a basic health declaration form can help ensure they’re fit for the job.
You don’t need a doctor’s report—just a simple self-declaration and a note that support can be offered if needed.

Keep It Consistent and Document Everything

Whatever checks you do, apply them fairly to all candidates and keep records. It protects you legally and shows you’re hiring in a responsible, transparent way.

Understanding the Benefits of a Pre-Employment Check Service

Are you debating whether you should carry out pre-employment checks by yourself or hire professionals? Before you consider doing this in-house, you have to realise the benefits of a professional service. This can impact the quality of hiring. Let’s take a look at the advantages experts offer.

It Saves Time

Of course, it’s possible to carry out pre-employment checks yourself. Often, this is viewed as a way to save money. However, you have to realise just how consuming it can be. If you’re in a hurry to grow your team and hire the staff you require, know that doing the checks yourself will slow you down. This is one of the benefits of a professional service. It’s going to save so much time hiring the experts who can handle it all for you. In the meantime, you can get on with other responsibilities you have.

Carries Out Necessary Checks

Perhaps you’ve never carried out pre-employment checks before. You might not know where to begin. Well, instead of getting it wrong or being too surface-level, it’s best to hire professionals. Their service will have been perfected over the years, and they know exactly what to do. Indeed, they’ll understand the best process to go through to get the best staff for your company.

Reduces Bias

If you’re carrying out checks yourself, you might not realise that you have bias. This can be subconscious, yet it can impact the hiring process. The best way to eliminate this and make sure you’re hiring the right candidate is to choose a professional service. They’re going to be fair and consistent with their approach. This gives you peace of mind and you know you’re hiring the right people for the job.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need a corporate-level HR budget to make smart hiring choices. With a bit of preparation and the right tools, even the smallest business can run meaningful pre-employment checks that help avoid costly mistakes. A little time upfront can save you a lot of time (and stress) down the road.