Verifile pledges £3 million to support coronavirus recruitment


- Verifile waives all DBS admin fees for health and social care roles treating COVID-19
- DBS made its enhanced checks free of charge and introduced a Fast-Track option
- Employers recruiting staff and volunteers to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic in England and Wales guaranteed free end-to-end service

Verifile, the UK based background screening company, has pledged £3 million to support the emergency recruitment of health and social care employees and volunteers dealing with the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

By waiving its admin fees for a possible 500,000 DBS checks, Verifile could save the NHS and other organisations up to £3 million in administration fees.

CEO and founder of Verifile, Eyal Ben Cohen, said it’s important for all businesses to join the fight against COVID--19: “As a UK based business, it’s vital that Verifile works to support our health and social care workers keeping our country safe.

“By working with the DBS, and removing our own admin fees, we can reduce the financial burden on the NHS and other health and social care providers so they can use that money toward their fight against COVID-19.

“We are in unprecedented times and we must all play our part in supporting the fight against COVID-19. We must all pull together and make a serious commitment where it counts.”

In response to COVID-19, the DBS also removed their costs for enhanced DBS checks on 31 March and said they would fast-track adults’ and children’s barred lists checks.

By removing its admin fees, Verifile guarantees employers who are recruiting staff and volunteers to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic in England and Wales, a free service end-to-end.

Verifile, an umbrella body of the DBS has a direct link to the criminal records check systems and can deliver fast-tracked responses in line with the government’s own commitment to a 24-hour turn-around time.

On this commitment, PM Boris Johnson said: "We are speeding up the DBS checks so they can be done in 24 hours and I want to thank and congratulate all the boroughs throughout this country for the way they are harnessing those volunteers.”

These temporary arrangements will provide employers with the option to appoint new recruits faster into regulated activity with adults and/or children, so long as the individuals are not barred.

To find out more about Verifile’s free DBS checks and other quick checks available to support recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit www.Verifile.co.uk or call +44 (0)1234 339 339.

ENDS

For further information on this press release, please contact:
Paul Hutchinson
Content and Communications Manager
E: paul.hutchinson@verifile.co.uk
T: +44 (0)1234 339 364


About Verifile

• Verifile provides background screening solutions to business across the world to help them develop robust recruitment processes and remain compliant with wide-ranging legislations by verifying the credentials of employees, partners, suppliers, and clients
• Verifile was set up in 2004 by Eyal Ben Cohen while studying for an MBA at Cranfield University. In 2020, Eyal was named Entrepreneur Alumnus of the year. Read more here
• Verifile is based at Priory Business Park, Bedford and employs over 100 people
• Verifile was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the category of International Trade in April 2019. Read more here
• Verifile won the Best Enterprising Business and Bedford Business of the Year at the SME Luton & Bedfordshire Business Awards in May 2019. Read more here