Checks Direct
Checks Direct is a UK DBS Umbrella Body providing online Basic, Standard, and Enhanced DBS checks plus a full suite of vetting checks (ID, Right to Work, credit, employment history, DVLA, Section 128, Directorship, Overseas) to employers, charities, and public sector organisations across England and Wales through a self-serve portal with dedicated account management.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersCardiff, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Checks Direct does
Checks Direct is a UK-based online employment screening provider, operating under the legal entity New Directions Holdings Limited (company number 05714010) with headquarters in Cardiff and a secondary office in London. The company is an approved Umbrella Body of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), which authorises it to process Basic, Standard, and Enhanced DBS criminal record checks on behalf of UK employers, charities, and public sector organisations. Service coverage is restricted to England and Wales because DBS checks for Scotland-based employees are handled separately by Disclosure Scotland.
The company's product surface centres on three tiers of DBS checks (Basic, Standard, Enhanced), supplemented by Volunteer DBS checks, Adult First Checks, and a DBS Update Service subscription with employer-facing status monitoring. A broader vetting suite includes ID Checks, Right to Work Checks, Employment History, Employment Credit, DVLA, Section 128, Prohibition from Teaching, Directorship, Overseas criminal record, and Bespoke Checks, offering seventeen distinct services in total. The underlying technology is a bespoke online portal that combines bulk application submission, status tracking, and automated reminders; identity verification is delivered through a native integration with Credas, providing biometric facial recognition and database cross-checks. The company holds Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001 certifications and JobsAware accreditation, supporting procurement in regulated sectors.
Checks Direct operates a hybrid go-to-market combining self-service online registration with dedicated account management for key accounts, a referral partnership program, and multi-channel content marketing. Revenue is primarily transactional per-check fees with volume-based pricing tiers (51–1,001+ checks) and discount depth increasing at higher volumes; standard rates range from £36.50 ex VAT (Basic) to £65.50 ex VAT (Enhanced), with add-ons priced between £5–£14. The DBS Update Service adds a recurring £13 per applicant per year subscription layer. The company reportedly processes 92,000–100,000 checks annually and serves nearly 5,000 clients in the care sector alone, with a stated 98% client recommendation rate.
Checks Direct firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Checks Direct
- Legal name
- New Directions Holdings Limited
- Website
- https://checksdirect.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Checks Direct is a UK DBS Umbrella Body providing online Basic, Standard, and Enhanced DBS checks plus a full suite of vetting checks (ID, Right to Work, credit, employment history, DVLA, Section 128, Directorship, Overseas) to employers, charities, and public sector organisations across England and Wales through a self-serve portal with dedicated account management.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Checks Direct industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Background Screening Services
- NAICS
- Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611), Investigation and Security Services (5616)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pre-Employment Background Checks & Screening (BPAKAEAA)
Keywords
Where Checks Direct is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cardiff
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Checks Direct business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- DBS Check Processing: Per-check transaction fees for Basic, Standard, and Enhanced DBS checks. Volume-based pricing tiers available for organizations processing 51+ checks, with discounts increasing at higher volumes (51-300, 301-500, 501-750, 751-1000, 1001+). Standard rate checks range from £29.00 to £65.50 ex VAT depending on check type and volume.
- DBS Update Service Subscription: Annual subscription at £13 per applicant for individuals to keep DBS certificates updated. Volunteers receive free subscription. Low-cost monitoring service for employers to track Update Service results.
- Additional Vetting Checks: Per-check fees for supplementary services including ID checks (£5.38 standard rate), Right to Work checks (£6.29 standard rate), DVLA checks (£5.41 standard rate), Employment History checks, Employment Credit checks, Section 128 checks, Prohibition from Teaching checks, Directorship checks, and Overseas criminal record checks.
- Volunteer DBS Admin Fee: Volunteer DBS checks are free from DBS; Checks Direct charges small admin fee (£11.50 standard rate ex VAT) to process volunteer applications. Free DBS Update Service subscription for volunteers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Basic DBS Check - Standard Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Enhanced DBS Check - Standard Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Adult First Check - Standard Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | ID Check - Standard Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Right to Work Check - Standard Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | DVLA Check - Standard Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Employment Credit Check - Standard Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Section 128 Check - Standard Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Prohibition From Teaching Check - Standard Rate |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | DBS Route 2 ID Check - Standard Rate |
| Subscription | Annual | DBS Update Service Subscription |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Volunteer DBS Check Admin Fee - Standard Rate |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Checks Direct product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Checks Direct is an online employment screening provider that processes DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks at Basic, Standard, and Enhanced levels, alongside supplementary vetting services such as ID checks, Right to Work checks, Employment History checks, Employment Credit checks, DVLA checks, Section 128 checks, Prohibition from Teaching checks, Directorship checks, and Overseas criminal record checks. Operating as an approved DBS Umbrella Body, the company serves UK employers, charities, and public sector organisations via a bespoke online portal with integrated biometric ID verification through Credas technology.
Product overview
Checks Direct is an online employment screening and background checking platform offering 17 distinct products and services for UK employers, charities, and organisations. The core offering centres on DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) criminal record checks across three levels: Basic, Standard, and Enhanced, supplemented by specialised variants including Volunteer DBS Checks (free for qualified volunteers) and Adult First Checks for the care sector. The platform provides a comprehensive suite of vetting add-ons including ID Checks (with facial recognition via Credas integration), Right to Work Checks, Employment History Checks, Employment Credit Checks, DVLA Driver Licence Checks, Section 128 Checks (for education), Overseas Criminal Record Checks, Prohibition From Teaching Checks, and Directorship Checks. All services are accessed through a bespoke online portal and ID verification is supported through integration with Credas for biometric facial recognition and document authentication. The company operates as an approved DBS Umbrella Body and processes approximately 92,000 to 100,000 checks annually.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Basic DBS Checks
Quantifiable outcome
- 92,000+ DBS and vetting checks processed per annum
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Checks Direct
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Checks Direct technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability1 record
Feature4 records
Checks Direct partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- CredascoreCredas provides online ID verification technology integrated into Checks Direct's platform. The service uses facial recognition technology (Liveness Verification) to match applicant selfies with ID document photos. Credas also integrates with various databases to cross-check and validate identity information.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Checks Direct competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Checks Direct social profiles
Digital presenceChecks Direct compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Checks Direct financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Checks Direct leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Checks Direct funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Checks Direct M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Checks Direct
What does Checks Direct do?
Checks Direct is an online employment screening provider that processes DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks at Basic, Standard, and Enhanced levels, alongside supplementary vetting services such as ID checks, Right to Work checks, Employment History checks, Employment Credit checks, DVLA checks, Section 128 checks, Prohibition from Teaching checks, Directorship checks, and Overseas criminal record checks. Operating as an approved DBS Umbrella Body, the company serves UK employers, charities, and public sector organisations via a bespoke online portal with integrated biometric ID verification through Credas technology.
Is Checks Direct a public or private company?
Checks Direct is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Checks Direct founded?
Checks Direct was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Checks Direct based?
Checks Direct is headquartered in Cardiff, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Checks Direct make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. DBS Check Processing is the primary driver. The others are DBS Update Service Subscription, additional Vetting Checks and volunteer DBS Admin Fee.
Does Checks Direct have an API?
No public API is recorded for Checks Direct.
What industry is Checks Direct in?
Checks Direct's product category is Background Screening Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAKAEAA, Pre-Employment Background Checks & Screening. Its NAICS code is 561611 and its SIC code is 7361.