A practical guide that explains what applicants need to submit for BS7858 screening and why it matters for smooth decision making.
“When applicants are unsure what evidence to provide or how BS7858 screening works, screening teams spend unnecessary time asking for clarifications and chasing missing documents. This guide gives clear, easy-to-follow instructions so applicants understand what is required, reduce queries and help your screening process run more efficiently.”
Expert Built BS7858 Applicant Screening Guidance
Developed by Graham and Vivianne Johnson, industry leading screening specialists with nearly 20 years' experience implementing BS7858 across the UK security sector. This expert-developed guide gives employers a clear, ready-to-issue resource that explains the entire BS7858 screening process to applicants in plain English.
Covers the complete applicant journey: identity and address document requirements, right to work evidence, SIA licence verification, five-year employment and activity history, HMRC employment statements, explaining and evidencing gaps over 31 days, common screening mistakes, and a submission-ready checklist.
Every section draws on real-world scenarios from the Johnsons' extensive screening experience, addressing the exact questions and misunderstandings that cause delays in practice.
Perfect for HR teams, security managers, screening administrators, recruitment leads, and compliance officers managing BS7858 onboarding.
✓ Created by recognised BS7858 specialists with proven operational expertise.
✓ Reduces screening delays caused by incomplete or incorrect applicant submissions.
✓ Explains every document requirement in clear, jargon-free language.
✓ Includes a practical checklist applicants can follow before submitting.
✓ Ready to issue digitally or in print as part of your onboarding process.
Prepare your applicants. Reduce delays. Screen with confidence.
Expert Developed | UKRLP Registered Provider.
Why We Built This
We created this guide because the biggest cause of screening delays is not the process itself, it is applicants who do not understand what they need to provide or why.
From 2006 to 2024, we operated our own screening businesses and processed thousands of BS7858 checks across the UK security sector. We spent years chasing missing documents, explaining the same requirements repeatedly, and watching screening timelines stretch because applicants arrived unprepared. We knew a clear, practical guide issued at the start would prevent most of these problems.
What Makes This Different
You will get a guide that covers every question applicants actually ask, from which identity documents are accepted to how to request an HMRC employment statement and what evidence is needed for gaps over 31 days. It addresses the exact misunderstandings that cause rejected submissions and unnecessary delays.
Every section is written from real scenarios we handled personally, the same mistakes we saw hundreds of applicants make and the practical solutions that resolved them. This guide is designed to be handed directly to applicants as part of your onboarding process.
This is not written by trainers who have read the standard. It is built by us, practitioners who lived it for 20 years. Expert developed, UKRLP registered. BS7858 reality, not theory.
Built for professionals responsible for safe, compliant hiring in security sensitive environments
You process BS7858 checks daily and spend too much time chasing missing documents and explaining basic requirements. This guide gives applicants the information upfront so submissions arrive complete and screening moves faster.
You manage onboarding for security regulated roles and need applicants to understand the process before it begins. This guide sets clear expectations from day one, reducing confusion and follow-up queries throughout screening.
You are accountable for screening timelines and audit readiness across your organisation. This guide standardises applicant communication, reduces delays caused by incomplete evidence, and supports a consistent onboarding process.
Our courses are independently accredited by a recognised CPD body so every completed module converts into verifiable CPD hours you can record.
That means your team’s learning is not just a checkbox — it is formal professional development that holds up in audits, appraisals and regulatory reviews.
Certificates are issued instantly on completion in downloadable PDF format, include course duration and CPD hours, and are produced to a standard that employers, compliance teams and auditors expect.
VH Courses is listed on the UK Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP), a public register that confirms our status as a legitimate training provider.
This registration demonstrates our ongoing commitment to governed, traceable, high-quality learning provision and makes it easier for corporate procurement, public bodies and partners to verify who we are.
In short, it removes doubt for buyers and supports procurement and audit checks.
This guide is written in plain English and requires no prior experience. Simply issue it to applicants at the start of your screening process and it will explain everything they need to know and provide.
Yes. Issuing a clear applicant guide demonstrates a structured onboarding process. It supports consistent practice across your organisation, which auditors and inspectors look for during compliance reviews.
Yes. The guide explains how applicants should account for gaps over 31 days, what evidence is accepted for each type of gap, and common mistakes that lead to rejected or delayed submissions.
Yes. Most screening delays are caused by incomplete or incorrect applicant submissions. This guide ensures applicants understand what is required upfront, so they arrive prepared and screening moves faster.
The guide is delivered as a PDF file available for immediate download after purchase. You can print it, email it to applicants, or share it digitally as part of your onboarding workflow.