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UK reference checking · 2026

Reference checks without the chase.

Send the request. We handle the rest. You get a full report.

How it works

Four steps. One audit trail.

Every referee is reached, verified, and recorded the same way — so consultants stop chasing email threads and compliance teams stop reconstructing them after the fact.

01 / Initiate

Add a candidate, choose a template.

Sector-specific templates for care, locum medical, finance and executive workflows. Mix professional and character reference types — each referee slot configured independently.

02 / Reach

Referees get a branded request — then a reminder if needed.

Referees are contacted automatically. Reminders fire if they don't respond. You don't lift a finger.

03 / Respond

Referees complete a structured, role-specific questionnaire.

Questions are tailored to the role and sector. Once submitted, AI analyses every response for inconsistencies and flags anything that warrants a closer look.

04 / Deliver

Signed report, immutable audit trail.

A timestamped PDF report, ready to file. Every action logged permanently.

Powered by AI

Not just automated. Intelligent.

Every reference runs through a layer of AI that reads what humans miss — before the report lands on your desk.

Three-layer AI Fraud Detection

Stylometric analysis, same-IP detection, and Companies House employer verification — three independent checks that run on every submitted reference, automatically.

R. Carlisle
Dates of employment: Jan 2022 – Apr 2024
D. Hargreaves
Role title confirmed: Care Coordinator
M. Osei
Conduct: Excellent, no concerns raised
No concerns found across 3 referees

AI Reference Summary

Every completed reference pack distilled into a plain-English summary. No more reading between the lines.

Generated by AI

AI Red Flag Detection

Contradictions between referees, safeguarding concerns, and response anomalies are surfaced automatically the moment a reference is submitted.

Employment dates
Mar 2021 – Dec 2023 (Referee 1)
Employment dates
Jun 2021 – Oct 2022 (Referee 2)
Role title
Confirmed by both referees
High Concern — date discrepancy detected

AI Referee Quality Score

AI scores each response for depth, specificity, and credibility — so you can weigh them accordingly.

0/10
Detailed and specific

AI Question Profiles

Describe the role, get a tailored question set in seconds. Care home manager, finance director — purpose-built questions generated instantly.

Role or sector…
Generate questions →
1How long did you manage this candidate?
2Were any safeguarding concerns raised?
3How would you rate their care standards?
4Would you recommend them for a senior role?
5Are you aware of any CQC compliance issues?
Referee outreach

Polite, persistent, and on your letterhead.

Professional, branded emails sent on your behalf — automated follow-ups included, no manual chasing required. Automatic chases stop the moment someone responds.

  • Emails branded with your agency name and sent on your behalf
  • Automated chase sequence, pauses when referee responds
  • Chases pause on weekends and bank holidays
HV
SentinelHQ Recruitment <hello@sentinelhq.co.uk>
to Mr R. Carlisle · 2 May

Reference request: Emma Bradshaw — Sr. Care Coordinator

Dear Mr Carlisle,

Emma has listed you as a professional referee. The request takes about four minutes and is hosted on a secure portal.

Complete reference →
Verified-sender · DKIM ✓ · req#A93F-CC02
Emma Bradshaw · check #A93F-CC02
Sr. Care Coordinator
Check initiated by Tom Whitford
02 May · 09:14 · template care-uk-v3
Referee 1 of 2 verified — R. Carlisle
02 May · 11:38 · identity matched
Referee 1 response received
02 May · 14:02 · 4m to complete
Referee 2 chase #1 sent automatically
03 May · 09:00 · D. Hargreaves, Northbrook
Cross-check & report
queued
Compliance sign-off
queued · @sara.k
Real-time progress

See every check, every step, in one timeline.

No more "has she got back to you yet?" messages. Consultants, candidates, and compliance see the same view — and the same truth.

  • Single timeline per candidate
  • AI reviews every response for flags and inconsistencies
Audit-ready by default

Defend the placement, two years later.

Every action — every email, every chase, every form field — is sealed and timestamped. Hand a tribunal a single signed PDF and be done.

  • Timestamped PDF reports, every action permanently logged
  • ICO-registered, UK data residency
  • GDPR compliant by design
Reference report
report-A93F-CC02.pdf
Candidate
Emma Bradshaw
Role applied for
Sr. Care Coordinator
Agency
Harlow & Vale
Issued
04 May 2026 · 16:21 BST
Verification outcome2 / 2 referees
Both referees corroborated dates of employment (±0 days), role title, and conduct rating. No discrepancies flagged.
sha256: e91c7a2f4d8b6e93a17f0c2b9d6e4811 5a3f7c0d8e2b4691f50c7a3e8d1b9c46

Recruiters tell us they spend up to two days every week chasing references. ReferenceSentinel gets it done while you sleep.

What makes it different

Built for the way recruiters actually work.

No-response guarantee

If your candidate goes quiet within 14 days, or a referee within 21 days, your credit is automatically returned. No support ticket. No manual request.

Email bounce protection

If a candidate or referee email address bounces, your credit is instantly refunded. Automatically — no action needed on your part.

Mixed reference types

Request professional and character references in a single check. Each referee slot is assigned its own question profile independently. No extra credits.

Care sector ready

CQC-aligned question profiles designed for care home, domiciliary, and supported living placements — covering conduct, reliability, and safeguarding.

Three-layer fraud detection

AI stylometric analysis, same-IP detection, and Companies House employer verification — three independent checks run automatically on every reference. Dismiss false positives and override AI assessments with a full audit trail.

Fast for referees — under 2 minutes

A short, focused questionnaire on any device. The easier it is for referees, the faster you get your result. No account needed, no app to install.

Bulk SMS chasing

Reach unresponsive candidates directly on their mobile. Select multiple candidates, choose a template, preview per-candidate messages, and send in one click. Pay-as-you-go SMS credits, no monthly commitment.

Audit module

Run existing staff through the same reference process retrospectively. Audit candidates are tracked separately, with a comparison dashboard showing fraud flag rate, response rate, and employer verification outcomes vs. production placements.

Built for high-volume teams

Bulk CSV import (500 candidates at once), bulk SMS chasing, saved filter views, and keyboard shortcuts let you manage a full pipeline without losing track. Search by status, filter by fraud flag or bounce, bulk-action pending checks, and export reports — everything you need to run references at scale.

No-response guarantee

Your credit comes back automatically.

If your candidate doesn't nominate referees within 14 days, or a referee doesn't respond within 21 days — your credit is returned. No questions asked. No support ticket. Automatic.

Get started free →
14 days
Candidate non-response window
If a candidate doesn't nominate their referees within 14 days of being invited, your credit is automatically returned.
21 days
Referee non-response window
If a referee hasn't submitted their response within 21 days of being contacted, your credit comes straight back.
Instant
Email bounce refund
If a candidate or referee email address bounces, the credit is returned to your balance immediately — no action required.
Automatic
No support ticket needed
Refunds happen without any action from you. Every credit movement is logged in your transaction history.

How we compare

Unlike some platforms, our pricing is fully transparent. No demos required, no sales calls. Just sign up and go.

ReferenceSentinel
Other platforms
Notes
Price per reference
From £7.99
From £14.99
No subscription required
Pay as you go — credits never expire
Refund on non-response
Automatic — 14 days candidate, 21 days referee
Email bounce refund
Instant credit refund if any email bounces
Mixed reference types
Professional and character refs in a single request
Care sector question profile
CQC-aligned questions built in
Bulk candidate management
Chase reminders, CSV export, filters for high-volume teams
AI fraud detection
Stylometric analysis on every reference
AI red flag detection
Contradictions, safeguarding concerns flagged instantly
AI reference summary
Plain-English summary across all referees
AI quality scoring
Every referee response scored 1–10
AI question profile generator
Role-specific questions in seconds
Bespoke setup & onboarding
We configure the platform for your sector and workflow
ATS integrations
Coming soon
Teamtailor, Workday, SmartRecruiters etc
Right to Work checks
Coming soon
Phase 2 roadmap

Competitor pricing and features based on publicly available information, May 2026.

Pricing

Pay as you go. Nothing more.

No subscription. One credit = one candidate (up to 5 references). Credits never expire. The more you buy, the less you pay per check.

VolumePrice per creditExample total
5–19 creditsSelf-service setup
£11.9910 credits = £119.90
20–49 creditsSelf-service setup
£9.9920 credits = £199.80
50–99 creditsFree bespoke setup
£8.9950 credits = £449.50
100+ creditsFree bespoke setup
£7.99Best rate100 credits = £799.00
Up to 5 referees per candidate
Mixed professional & character reference types
AI fraud detection & red flag alerts on every report
Structured PDF report, permanently logged
No-response & email bounce credit protection
Credits never expire — no subscription
Care sector question profiles included
Bulk management — chase reminders & CSV export

50 credits with ReferenceSentinel: £449.50. The same 50 checks with a typical competitor: £749.50 — no refund guarantee, no mixed reference types, no AI red flag detection. You save £300, with more included.

Get started free →

5 free credits to start. No card required.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is ReferenceSentinel?

ReferenceSentinel is an automated employment reference checking platform for UK recruitment agencies. You send a request, your candidate nominates their referees, each referee completes a structured questionnaire, and the results land in your dashboard with AI summaries, fraud detection, and a printable reference pack.

How does pricing work?

It’s pay-as-you-go with no subscription, and credits never expire. One credit covers one candidate, including up to five referees for that candidate. The more you buy, the lower the price per credit — from £11.99 each down to £7.99 each at 100+ credits, so 50 credits works out at £449.50. New accounts start with 5 free credits, no card required.

What happens if a referee never responds?

You’re not charged for incomplete checks. Credits are automatically refunded if a candidate doesn’t nominate referees within 14 days, or if a referee doesn’t respond within 21 days. Automated reminders are sent in the meantime to nudge things along.

How does the fraud detection work?

Every submission is analysed by AI for inconsistencies and red flags, alongside rule-based checks such as employment date gaps and Companies House employer verification. Anything suspicious is surfaced clearly so you can make an informed decision.

Can I customise the reference questions?

Yes. You can build question profiles tailored to a role or sector, and our AI can generate a profile for you from a job description. Every organisation can set its own default questions.

Can it help with Right to Work and DBS compliance?

Yes. ReferenceSentinel tracks Right to Work expiry dates and DBS certificate details, with audit status checked against vendor criteria — so you can protect your agency contracts and stay audit-ready.

Is candidate and referee data secure?

Data is handled in line with UK data protection law. ReferenceSentinel is operated by SentinelHQ Limited (ICO registered), with referee and candidate journeys protected by secure, expiring access tokens.

How do I get started?

It’s fully web-based with nothing to install. Sign up, send your first reference request, and you’re running within minutes using your free starter credits.

Ready when you are

Stop chasing referees.
Start placing faster.

A 14-day pilot, configured for your workflow. No card, no contract, no commitment.

Get started free →Sign in