Construction

Background screening for the construction sector and trade merchants

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We carry out over 1 million background checks per year

We offer over 20 different types of background checks, giving you complete flexibility

Our UK-based team is available whenever you need us

73% of candidates share their data for employment reference checks in under 30 minutes

Keep construction hiring moving with checks you can trust

 

Construction businesses often need to recruit and mobilise people quickly. At the same time, workforce structures can be complex, involving permanent employees, agency workers, specialist subcontractors, self-employed tradespeople and third-party labour providers.

Different teams may also be responsible for different parts of the process. HR might screen permanent employees, project teams may approve subcontractors, and branch or site managers may need to confirm that someone is ready to start work.

Construction background checks should be proportionate to the responsibilities, access and risks attached to each role. A site operative, finance manager, delivery driver and project director will not necessarily require the same checks.

Our background checking solutions help you:

  • Confirm identity and Right to Work before someone starts
  • Apply appropriate checks to employees, contractors and subcontractors
  • Verify employment history, experience and role-relevant qualifications
  • Reduce manual document collection and candidate chasing
  • Support faster site mobilisation without lowering screening standards
  • Maintain clearer records across projects, locations and workforce suppliers
  • Provide candidates with a clear, professional journey

 

 

Background checks designed for construction and trades recruitment

Experian offers a range of checks that can be combined into role-based screening packages. Available services include identity, Right to Work, criminal record, employment reference, qualification, DVLA, financial, media and specialist compliance checks.

Identity checks

Confirm that a candidate, worker or contractor is who they say they are before they progress through onboarding or receive access to a site, branch, system or customer location.

Right to Work checks

Check a candidate’s legal right to work in the UK through a digital process designed to give hiring teams visibility and control.

Criminal record checks

Criminal record checks can provide relevant information as part of a fair and role-specific hiring decision. Not every construction role is eligible for every level of criminal record check. The appropriate check should be determined by the activities and responsibilities of the position.

Employment reference checks

Verify previous employment and help identify gaps or inconsistencies in a candidate’s work history. References may be particularly valuable for site management, supervisory, technical, commercial and safety-critical positions where previous responsibilities and experience matter.

Qualification and professional membership checks

Verify academic qualifications, vocational awards, professional memberships or technical credentials where they are relevant to the role. Site cards, licences and scheme-specific credentials may require separate validation as part of your wider onboarding process.

Occupational history and gap checks

Build a clearer picture of a candidate’s employment history, including career gaps that may need to be reviewed as part of your recruitment process.

DVLA checks

Check relevant driving licence information for employees and contractors who drive company vehicles, operate mobile services or travel between sites as part of their work.

Additional checks

Depending on your policy and role requirements, you may also choose from other checks such as adverse financial checks, directorship checks, social media checks, or BPSS and BS7858 checks.

We understand what's important for faster and safer hiring in your organisation

The checks you select should reflect what the individual will do, where they will work and what they will be able to access. We can help you build a consistent background checking process that reflects the different environments your people work in.


Site-based construction roles, and drivers

 

Site-based construction workers are often needed quickly, particularly when projects are under pressure or labour demand changes at short notice. Delays in onboarding can affect site productivity, project timelines and operational continuity, so checks need to be efficient without becoming a bottleneck.

At the same time, employers need confidence that each worker has been properly verified before they starts on site.

Roles you might recruit for include groundworkers, plant operators, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, bricklayers, roofers, decorators, and scaffolders.

 

Relevant checks may include:

  • Identity check
  • Right to Work check
  • Criminal record check
  • Employment reference check
  • Qualification or professional membership check
  • DVLA check, where driving is required


Site management and supervisory roles



Site managers and supervisors carry greater responsibility for people, safety, project delivery and day-to-day decision-making. They may manage teams, control access to site areas, liaise with clients and subcontractors, or oversee work that needs to meet strict quality and safety standards.

Because these roles often involve higher accountability, employers may need a more thorough screening process than they would for general site labour. 


Relevant checks may include:

  • Identity verification
  • Right to Work
  • Employment references
  • Occupational history and gap analysis
  • Qualification and professional membership checks
  • Criminal record check, where appropriate
  • Adverse financial check, where proportionate

 

Trade merchants and builders’ merchants



Trade merchants and builders’ merchants operate at the intersection of construction, retail, logistics and customer service. Employees may handle valuable stock, customer accounts, payments, vehicles, trade credit information and delivery schedules. This creates a need for checks that support both operational continuity and trust.

For branch and warehouse roles (like counter stagg or yard operatives), employers may prioritise fast onboarding so teams remain fully staffed during busy trading periods.

For delivery, finance, sales or management roles, additional checks may help confirm suitability for responsibilities involving vehicles, cash handling, customer relationships or access to commercial information.


Relevant checks may include:

  • Identity verification
  • Right to Work
  • Criminal record check
  • Employment reference check
  • Adverse financial check where relevant
  • DVLA check where relevant

 

Self-employed tradespeople and subcontractors



Construction workforces often extend well beyond permanent employees. Self-employed tradespeople, CIS workers, agency labour and specialist subcontractors may move between projects quickly, making it harder to maintain consistent checks and records.

As Right to Work requirements expand towards wider workforce coverage, businesses may need more structured processes for verifying non-employee workers before work begins. This is especially important where workers are operating under the company’s name, representing the business on client sites or accessing controlled environments.


Relevant checks may include:

  • Identity check
  • Right to Work check
  • Criminal record check, where appropriate
  • Qualification or professional membership check
  • DVLA check, where driving is required
  • Insurance or documentation checks, where managed outside the background screening process


Facilities management and maintenance

 

Facilities management and maintenance workers often have access to occupied buildings, customer premises, residential sites, schools, healthcare settings or other sensitive environments. This can increase the importance of trust, suitability and audit-ready documentation. Unlike some site-only construction roles, these workers may operate with limited supervision, travel between locations or work close to members of the public, service users or vulnerable people.

Employers therefore need to consider both the nature of the work and the environment in which it takes place. In some settings, enhanced checks, BPSS or BS7858 screening may be relevant, depending on the role and eligibility criteria.


Relevant checks may include:

  • Identity check
  • Right to Work check
  • Criminal record check
  • Enhanced DBS check, where role eligibility and setting require it
  • Employment reference check
  • BPSS or BS7858 check, where relevant
  • DVLA check, where driving is required

 

 

Why choose us?

Fast, digital checks

Help reduce onboarding delays and keep hiring moving across projects, branches and sites.

Flexible screening options

Choose from a wide range of checks, including Right to Work, identity verification, criminal record checks, references, financial checks, DVLA, BPSS and BS7858.

Support for high-volume and ongoing hiring

Screen permanent employees, temporary workers, contractors and high-volume candidate pipelines.

Trusted data and compliance support

Experian combines data, technology and background checking expertise to help businesses hire with confidence and support regulatory compliance.

 

 

FAQs

 

 

Further reading

Guide

Right to Work Checks in the UK

An employer’s guide to getting RTW checks correct and ensuring you have a statutory excuse for employees.
Blog

Vital income and employment verification documents

Learn about different verification documents to meet employees’ needs and provide the support they need.

Speak to an expert about background checks and faster hiring.

Personal DBS check: Unfortunately we're unable to help with your individual DBS check, and you will need to organise with your employer. 

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