Hiring

In employment law, a contract can be formed when a candidate accepts an offer, even if it is made verbally. If you are making an offer by phone, be clear about your wording. Unless all checks are already complete, describe the offer as a conditional offer of employment subject to the successful completion of all required pre-employment checks.

A conditional offer is subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks. The checks you carry out and how you record them should be set out clearly in your recruitment policy.

Once all pre-employment checks have been completed satisfactorily, you can issue an unconditional offer and send the contract for the candidate to sign. This creates a legally binding contract and is usually subject to the successful completion of a probation period.

ACAS website: https://www.acas.org.uk/hiring-someone/offering-someone-a-job

Appointment letter as PDF (Wholetime Firefighter)

Appointment letter template (modifiable for Wholetime Firefighter)

Right to work checks are mandatory. They help prevent illegal working and support legal compliance.

All employers in the UK have a responsibility to prevent illegal working. You do this by conducting simple right to work checks before you employ someone, to make sure the individual is not disqualified from carrying out the work in question by reason of their immigration status. (Gov.uk; updated 26 June 2025)

• Home Office – Employer’s guide to right to work checks
• Gov.Uk – Check if a document allows someone to work in the UK
• Gov.UK – Right to work checklist
• Gov.UK – Prove you have right of abode in the UK
• Gov.UK – EU Settlement Scheme: evidence of UK residence
• Gov.UK – Checking a job applicant’s right to work

DBS checks help ensure safer recruitment by confirming whether candidates have relevant criminal history. The level of check must be appropriate to the role – basic, standard, or enhanced, with higher-level checks used only for roles involving vulnerable people.

Applicants for firefighter roles will need to consent to complete a basic level DBS check; however, this will change should their role diversify into areas of work that involves vulnerable adults and / or children. Risk assessments and guidance through DBS will determine the appropriate and proportionate level of check to be undertaken.

Firefighters normally require a basic check, though this may change if their duties extend to working with vulnerable groups. The DBS Update Service provides ongoing alerts of any changes to a candidate’s record, generally used for roles requiring enhanced checks or carrying higher organisational risk.

Information received on a disclosure must be assessed proportionately, considering whether any conviction affects suitability for the role and in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and your policy on recruiting ex‑offenders.

More information on DBS checks can be found at Gov.UK – Disclosure and barring service.

Where a role requires specific qualifications, candidates must provide evidence before starting employment. In some cases, establishing an equivalent qualification may be necessary to avoid potential discrimination.

Medical checks should only be completed for successful candidates. Occupational health normally issues and reviews medical questionnaires and advises whether any health considerations affect employment or training requirements. Some services may require drug and alcohol testing depending on policy.

References are usually requested after making an offer and provide factual information from previous employers. Candidates must give permission and supply referee details. If a candidate has worked in a fire and rescue service before, a reference should be sought from the relevant authority.

Where roles involve driving service vehicles, a licence check is required to meet insurance conditions. Applicants provide an access code to allow online verification.

More information on how to conduct a licence check can be found at Gov.UK – View or share your driving licence information.

Eligibility checks are required for apprenticeships to confirm the applicant meets age, education, and funding criteria.

Further information on apprenticeship eligibility checks can be found at HM Government – About Apprenticeships.

BPSS screening is required for roles in government settings and covers identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history (past three years), and unspent criminal records.

More information on the Baseline Personnel Security Standard can be found at Gov.UK – Government baseline personnel security standard.

Some especially sensitive jobs will require higher-level security vetting. There are three levels of vetting:

1) Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) for working at high-risk sites or proximity to certain public figures

2) Security Check (SC) for individuals with access to secret information

3) Developed Vetting (DV) for individuals with access to top secret information.

More information on clearance levels can be found at Gov.uk – United Kingdom Security Vetting: Applicant.

Social media checks should be used cautiously. Employers are advised not to make recruitment decisions purely on social media findings.

Professional social media screening can identify potential reputational risks or inappropriate behaviours such as bullying or racism. New starters should understand and sign your social media policy, with signed declarations kept on record.

Pre-employment checks can be time-consuming. Some services choose to outsource checks to a specialist provider. This can speed up screening, but it will involve cost and requires procurement and budget approval.

Potential benefits

• Faster turnaround times, reducing the risk of losing candidates to other offers.
• Greater efficiency through specialist teams and technology.
• More consistent processes and compliance (as screening is the provider’s core activity).
• Reduced risk of bias through independent third-party checking.
• Specialist expertise and clearer escalation routes via contract management.
• Reduced administration and training burden on service employees (especially during high-volume recruitment campaigns).
• Legal protection for the service should candidates challenge decision-making resulting from pre-employment check outcomes.
• Additional resilience/capacity during large recruitment campaigns.

Potential drawbacks

• Cost and the need for budget planning and procurement approval.
• Time and resource needed to run the procurement process and manage the supplier.
• Less direct control over delivery and potential impact from supplier issues (for example staffing capacity).
• Time required to identify the right supplier.

Where an offer is conditional, for example subject to checks, you can withdraw it if the conditions are not met. Confirm the withdrawal in writing, explaining the reason(s) clearly and factually.

Withdrawing an unconditional offer is more complex as acceptance of the offer usually forms a contractual employment relationship. In these cases, it is essential to demonstrate that the reason for withdrawal is lawful and non-discriminatory, and that you have followed a fair, policy-led process.

If this is not handled properly, there is a risk of challenge, including an employment tribunal, which can be costly in terms of both resources and reputation. 

ACAS – If a job offer is withdrawn

Withdrawal of conditional offer – Example Letter in Word

Withdrawal of conditional offer – Example Letter as PDF

Taking a pension and / or lump sum before normal pension age can result in a tax charge (unless retiring on the grounds of ill health). When employing or re-employing someone who is in receipt of their pension, the relevant rules must be checked and monitored.

You should make it clear that any tax charges or penalties arising from a breach will be the individual’s responsibility.

A protected pension age can be lost if the individual does not comply with certain rules on or after retirement. If an individual is re-employed by a sponsoring employer, or by a body or person connected to a sponsoring employer, they may lose their PPA and become subject to tax charges which the individual (and not the service) will be liable for paying.

Abatement refers to the suspension (or reduction) of pension payments in certain circumstances. On employment or re-employment, pay and working arrangements may need to be managed to avoid breaches of abatement rules. For example:

• Total earnings (pay plus pension) may need to remain within a limit based on previous earnings.
• Working hours may need to be adjusted.
• Pay increases should be checked to ensure they do not create a breach.
• Any required break between contracts must be observed where applicable.

The individual should seek and obtain their own advice from their pension provider before starting employment where abatement may apply.

If pension rules are applied incorrectly, a breach may need to be reported to the Pensions Regulator. The service and the employee may also be liable for tax charges and financial penalties, in addition to repayment of any overpaid pension. Getting this right is therefore important.

Employment Rights Act 1996

Employment Rights Act 2025 – (phased implementation starting April 2026)

Employment Act 2002

Data Protection Act 2018

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (2016/679 EU)

Equality Act 2010

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

The Local Government and Housing Act 1989, as amended by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009

The Local Government Act 1972

National Joint Council

Other useful information

Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015
The Socio-economic Duty (Wales)

You should only keep personal data for as long as it is needed for a clear purpose, and in line with your retention schedule.

As a guide, applicant recruitment records are often retained for around 6 months. Where a candidate is appointed, key recruitment records may be retained on the employee file for up to 6 years (in line with organisational policy). Appropriate retention helps you respond to any queries or claims within relevant time limits.

It is good practice to explain your recruitment data retention periods in candidate information (for example, in privacy information provided during application). This helps applicants understand what data you hold, why you hold it, and how long you will keep it.

Further guidance is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), including the principle on storage limitation.

A subject access request allows employees to request a copy of the personal data your service holds about them. This can include interview notes, scoring records, emails and any other recruitment documentation.

Make sure anyone involved in interviewing understands that their notes and comments may be disclosed. Notes should be accurate, professional, and focused on evidence against the criteria for the role.

CIPD – Retention of HR records

Gov.UK – Data Protection

ico. – Subject access requests (also known as SARs or right of access)

The time between accepting a job offer and starting can feel uncertain for new starters, regardless of role or level. They may have questions about the service, the team they will join, and what to expect in their first few weeks.

Staying in touch before their start date can help to build confidence, maintain engagement and reduce the risk of candidates dropping out. This does not need to be time-consuming. Simple, planned contact points can make a difference:

Consider:

• pre-start visits (for example, station tours or meet-the-team sessions)
• practical updates (start time and location, what to bring, uniform/PPE arrangements, key contacts)
• regular ‘keep in touch’ messages by email or phone
• sharing appropriate service updates (for example, internal newsletters or local news)

These activities can be delivered in person, online, or as a blend. Virtual options can help reduce travel time and costs while still building early connection.

Reasonable adjustments are changes that remove or reduce disadvantage for a disabled person at work. Adjustments may include changes to:

• the workplace environment;
• equipment or tools;
• the ways work is done (processes, duties, or working arrangements);
• how information is provided (for example, accessible formats)

By law, your service must consider making reasonable adjustments where:

• you know, (or could reasonably be expected to know), an employee or job applicant is disabled;
• an employee or job applicant asks for adjustments;
• an employee is experiencing difficulty with any part of their job because of their disability;
• absence, sickness levels, or a delayed return to work is linked to disability. You must also consider adjustments for barriers linked to disability. For example, not allowing an assistance dog into the workplace for a partially sighted person is likely to be discriminatory.

Using occupational health (OH)

To support informed decision-making, you may wish to seek an occupational health assessment. OH can help identify practical steps to remove or reduce disadvantage and support the person to carry out the role safely and effectively.

Recommendations may include:

• changes to working arrangements (for example, shift patterns);
• adjustments to the work environment (for example, lighting);
• practical workplace arrangements, (for example, accessible parking);
• additional or specialised equipment;
• support from others (for example, a sign language interpreter)

Identifying the key metrics, you will use to measure success is the first step towards effective monitoring. Use a mixture of measures so you can assess both how efficiently the process runs and the quality of outcomes.

Speed and efficiency:

• Time from opening a vacancy to presenting a shortlist of qualified candidates
• Timeliness of hiring manager feedback on submitted candidates
• Monitoring ‘aging’ vacancies to identify delays and address issues early

Quality:

• Ratio of candidates presented to candidates selected for interview
• ratio of interviews to job offers
• ratio of offers made to offers accepted

Measuring both efficiency and quality helps you evidence whether changes to your recruitment process are delivering improvements.

Improving the diversity of fire and rescue services remains a key priority across the sector. Many services are using targeted attraction activity and reviewing their recruitment approaches to remove real or perceived barriers to entry.

Diversity is generally easier to measure than inclusion. Inclusion is reflected in day-to-day experience and behaviours after appointment. For example, if there is a high drop-off rate after appointment (or during training), you should explore the underlying causes and take action.

Your EDI metrics should reflect your local context and priorities. This helps you focus resource on the areas most likely to improve outcomes, rather than implementing measures that do not address your service’s specific challenges.

Engaging with local leaders, community representatives and your workforce can help you understand local barriers and agree meaningful measures.

Metrics you may wish to consider during recruitment include:

• Representation – groups unrepresented in your service that you want to attract
• Applications – applicant numbers compared with the potential applicant pool in your area
• Recruitment process – where drop-off occurs for monitored groups (for example, application, testing, interview)
• Selection outcomes – appointment rates for monitored groups compared to non-monitored groups, to identify possible procedural issues or if additional support may be needed

Before making changes, establish a baseline for tracking progress over time. Ongoing analysis of EDI data can then help you identify risks and opportunities, target interventions, and evaluate impact and value for money.