Pre-employment screening
Candidate onboarding checklist for UK temp agencies
In temp recruitment, onboarding isn’t admin, it’s risk management. One missed check or expired document can stall a placement, damage client trust, or trigger compliance issues. As FY26 kicks off, UK agencies need faster, smarter, audit-ready onboarding. This checklist gives you exactly that sector-specific guidance, automation tips, and practical steps to help you move at speed without slipping on compliance.
Table of contents
- Set your agency up for FY26 success
- 1. Pre-onboarding: start smart
- 2. Core document collection
- 3. Digital sign-offs and policy acknowledgements
- 4. Final compliance check
- 5. Sector specific add-ons
- 6. Automate tracking and renewals
- 7. Why digital workflows win
- 8. Streamline with Access Screening and Onboarded
- 9. What not to do
- 10. Compliance is a commercial advantage
- Ready to own FY26?
Set your agency up for FY26 success
In temp recruitment, candidate onboarding is where risk either enters your agency or gets shut out. Whether you're staffing shifts in NHS wards, placing teaching assistants, or getting boots on the ground in logistics and construction, one weak link in onboarding can derail the entire assignment.
This FY26 checklist is built for UK temp agencies who want more than just compliance. It's for those ready to speed up placements, reduce candidate dropouts, and make every audit a breeze. From digital right-to-work checks to key document capture and system tracking, this is your onboarding command centre.
1. Pre-onboarding: start smart
Get it right before the paperwork begins.
- Send a formal offer with job title, worksite, start date, pay rate, shifts, and client expectations in writing
- Confirm consent to begin onboarding and kick off Right to Work checks immediately using the Home Office system or an approved digital identity provider
- Trigger role-specific screening based on sector need
- Run optional risk assessments (manual handling, health declarations, PPE fit testing) where required
|
Sector |
Required Checks |
|
Healthcare / Social Care |
Enhanced DBS (adult/barred lists), immunisations, Prevent awareness |
|
Construction / Industrial |
CSCS, CPCS/NPORS cards, Asbestos awareness |
|
Driving / Logistics |
DVLA licence check, CPC, tachograph entitlement |
|
Education / Childcare |
Enhanced DBS, safeguarding, Prevent |
|
Security |
SIA licence, first aid certification |
2. Core document collection
It’s not just about uploading files, it’s about creating a compliant, reviewable, and auditable trail for every temp you place.
You need:
- Valid proof of identity (passport, driver’s license, or approved share codes)
- National Insurance number and tax declaration
- Signed contract or worker agreement, with clarity on IR35 or umbrella status
- GDPR consent and data processing agreements
- Any sector-specific or client-mandated declarations (e.g., pensions, union membership, health questionnaires)
Avoid: Collecting these via email. It’s risky, inconsistent, and non-compliant.
3. Digital sign-offs and policy acknowledgements
Many compliance issues stem from one simple gap: candidates haven’t confirmed they understand site rules, safety procedures, or workplace conduct.
Digitally confirm:
- Induction and site briefings
- PPE expectations
- Equality, GDPR, or safeguarding policies
- Client-specific codes of conduct (especially in education or healthcare)
These should be time-stamped and stored—accessible for internal QA or external audits.
4. Final compliance check
This is where many agencies slip up. Before you move a candidate to “available for placement,” confirm:
- All documents are submitted and verified
- Expiry dates (e.g., for DBS, RTW, licences) are logged and tracked
- Candidate tags or CRM statuses are accurate
- No outstanding checks are flagged
Tip: Use built-in blocks to prevent recruiters from placing candidates with expired or missing compliance—protecting both your clients and your reputation.
5. Sector specific add-ons
Use templated workflows based on the nuances of each placement type.
| Sector | Must-Do Extras |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | Health declaration, eLearning complete, mandatory shift-readiness checklist |
| Construction | RAMS briefing confirmed, PPE log, toolbox talk record |
| Education | LADO references, safeguarding refresher, photo ID verification |
| Driving | Tacho data uploaded, vehicle assignment forms |
| Security | Emergency contact procedure training, copy of valid SIA card |
Tailored onboarding = smoother client compliance checks and higher rehire rates.
6. Automate tracking and renewals
Manual spreadsheets don’t cut it at scale. You need expiry tracking that:
- Sends automated alerts to candidates before documents expire
- Notifies recruiters when key checks are nearing expiry
- Blocks placements with out-of-date documents
- Logs all historical versions for full audit clarity
Example: A DBS check expired on a Friday. Your recruiter placed the candidate on Monday. Without expiry alerts or blocks, that’s now a client issue and your liability.
7. Why digital workflows win
Agencies with strong digital workflows don’t just avoid risk, they scale faster.
Digital systems give you:
- Fewer manual errors
- Consistent onboarding across every recruiter
- Better reporting on candidate readiness
- Real-time compliance dashboards
- Faster response times to audits, client reviews, and framework tenders
Digital is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s operational hygiene.
8. Streamline with Access Screening and Onboarded
With Access Screening & Onboarded, UK temp agencies can:
- Automate onboarding tasks by sector, client, or contract
- Collect documents securely and centrally
- Track expiry dates and prevent risky placements
- Allow candidates to upload documents and complete onboarding on their own time
- Sync onboarding data into your ATS, payroll, and CRM
It’s not just software, it’s the infrastructure for compliant, efficient hiring.
9. What not to do
Still happening in 2025:
- Placing temps before confirming Right to Work
- Letting DBS or licences expire without alerts
- Manually managing onboarding in Excel
- Applying inconsistent processes across teams
- Scrambling ahead of audits with missing files
These mistakes damage trust with clients and frameworks and cost your agency real money.
10. Compliance is a commercial advantage
Agencies that build onboarding into their business model:
- Win contracts by being visibly audit-ready
- Place faster without cutting compliance corners
- Reduce rework and dropouts
- Create candidate journeys that lead to loyalty and referrals
In FY26, the winners will be the agencies that can onboard at pace, without compromise.
Ready to own FY26?
Book a demo of Access Screening & Onboarded to see how you can:
- Build tailored onboarding journeys by sector or client
- Automate compliance blocks, renewals, and reminders
- Empower candidates to self-serve
- Make your agency audit-ready 365 days a year
