Quick answers and pointers to key information

Yes. We regularly support our clients with market insights, salary benchmarking and talent availability data, drawing on a combination of our deep industry knowledge and technology‑based insight tools. Our consultants work within specialist engineering, manufacturing and technical markets every day, giving us real‑time visibility of hiring trends, candidate movement, salary expectations and skill shortages. This is complemented by data from premium job boards, salary surveys and market‑mapping tools, allowing us to provide accurate, up‑to‑date guidance on competitiveness, availability of talent and realistic hiring strategies. This insight helps our clients make informed decisions on salary, location, flexibility and attraction strategies to secure the right people in a challenging market.

Please see our complaints procedure – or email customercare@orion-group.co.uk

Ongoing checks – Due Diligence

• SafeRec monthly reports for each Umbrella Provider.

• Manual checks on payslips by a member of the payroll team – from Provider and Worker.

• Monthly HMRC uploads for each umbrella provider.

• Credit Safe monitoring service – will flag any changes.

• Risk Assessments completed on a quarterly basis – to check and assess risk.

• Director checks/name checks – these will be completed on a quarterly basis.

The Umbrella PSL has been agreed – we will allow Agency Workers to go through an umbrella provider they are currently using, but only if that Umbrella will complete all the above checks and agree to our terms (we often find this pushes them back to our PSL as our checks are extensive).

Ensuring every worker has the legal Right to Work in the UK is a fundamental part of our compliance process. As a recruitment business, we follow the latest Home Office guidance to protect your organisation, prevent illegal working, and give you complete confidence in every candidate we supply.

Here’s how we ensure full compliance.

✅ 1. We Follow Home Office‑Approved Checking Methods

We carry out Right to Work checks using the official methods set out by UK Visas and Immigration. These include:

Online Right to Work Checks (Share Code Checks)

For candidates with digital immigration status (eVisas, BRPs, etc.), we use the Home Office online service to confirm their Right to Work and retain the official result as evidence. This method is mandatory for most digital-status holders.

Manual Document Checks

Where acceptable documents exist, we follow the Home Office’s required steps:
Obtain original documents → Check their validity → Copy & store them securely.
This process is outlined in the Home Office’s employer guidance.

Digital Verification (DVS) Checks

For British and Irish passport holders, we use a certified Digital Verification Service (Trust ID), in line with the updated terminology introduced in the 2025 guidance.

✅ 2. We Complete Every Check Before a Candidate Starts Work

We verify every individual before they begin an assignment—regardless of their nationality—to comply fully with UK legislation and safeguard your business. [gdprlocal.com]

✅ 3. We Conduct Follow‑Up Checks Where Needed

If a candidate has a time‑limited visa, we schedule and complete follow‑up checks before the visa expires. When necessary, we use the Home Office Employer Checking Service to obtain a Positive Verification Notice for candidates with pending applications.

✅ 4. We Keep Accurate Evidence for Compliance Protection

To ensure you benefit from a statutory excuse (legal defence against penalties), we securely store:

• Copies of approved RTW documents or online check outputs
• The date the check was completed
• Verification notices where applicable

This documentation is crucial because fines for illegal working can start at £45,000 per illegal

✅ 5. We Stay Up to Date With Changing Home Office Rules

Right to Work rules are updated frequently. We continuously review our processes to align with the latest guidance, including:

• Updated digital identity terminology (DVS)
• Clarification that expired physical Biometric Residence Permits are no longer acceptable proof
• Increasing reliance on eVisas

These updates are reflected in the most recent Home Office guidance (updated July 2025).

✅ Why This Matters for Your Business

By partnering with us, you can trust that:

✔ Every candidate supplied has their Right to Work fully verified
✔ You are protected under Home Office statutory excuse requirements
✔ Your compliance risk is significantly reduced
✔ Audits and inspections can be supported with complete evidence trails

Our processes ensure that your organisation is always protected and your workforce is fully compliant.

Orion have 4 Umbrella Providers on the PSL – all have had extensive checks (as detailed above) and have agreed to our terms, which includes a Director Guarantee.

At Orion we complete the following checks on our Umbrella providers:

• All Umbrella Providers must be members of Professional Passport or FCSA.

• All Umbrella Providers must be accredited with SafeRec

• We ask all suppliers to complete a 12-page compliance questionnaire that covers important legislation, types of contracts umbrella workers are under, and looking at any potential payroll tax avoidance schemes.

• Financial checks will also be completed.

• Liaised with the HMRC regarding checks and ongoing due diligence.

As part of our commitment to delivering fully compliant and transparent contractor engagements, we partner with IR35 Shield, a trusted market‑leading IR35 compliance solution. IR35 Shield provides accurate, expert‑led IR35 status assessments using advanced technology and specialist consultancy support, giving businesses total confidence in determining whether a role sits inside or outside IR35. Their platform combines robust assessment tools, contract reviews, audits, training, and even defence support, ensuring organisations are properly protected during HMRC checks or investigations. This partnership allows us to provide you with reliable IR35 determinations and complete peace of mind throughout the contractor engagement process.

We mitigate the risk of a bad hire through a thorough and structured qualification process that goes well beyond matching skills on a CV. We spend significant time understanding each candidate’s motivations, exploring why they are looking to move, what has prompted the change, and what they are genuinely seeking in their next role. This allows us to identify any potential risk factors early and ensure alignment with the role, team and business. Candidates are assessed in detail against the agreed criteria, and where possible, we take references to validate performance, reliability and cultural fit. By combining robust referencing with honest, in‑depth conversations around motivation and expectations, we significantly reduce the likelihood of mis‑hires and focus on delivering long‑term, successful placements.

We vet and qualify all candidates through a structured screening process designed to ensure both technical and cultural alignment. This begins with a detailed screening call where we assess the candidate’s experience against the key matching criteria for the role, exploring their career history, motivations, availability and all reasons for wanting to make a move. Candidates are provided with the full job description and followed up with a detailed email outlining the role, company and expectations, allowing them to confirm their interest before being submitted. As part of our compliance process, we also verify the candidate’s right to work in the UK, and where possible, obtain references to validate experience and performance. This approach ensures that only fully informed, committed and well‑matched candidates are presented.

Role Briefing: Within 24 hours of engagement, with clarity on the process, timelines, and deliverables.

CV Submission: First shortlist within 48–72 hours (depending on complexity of role)

Communication: Twice weekly updates minimum, or as often as agreed

Feedback: Feedback within 48 hours of interviews

Post Placement: Follow up at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months, to ensure long term fit.

We begin with a detailed job briefing call to ensure we fully understand the role and agree the key matching criteria from the outset. Within 24 hours of engagement, we confirm the recruitment process, timelines and deliverables. Our team then sources candidates across premium job boards and LinkedIn, shortlisting all suitable profiles against the role within our CRM. An initial shortlist is typically submitted within 48–72 hours, depending on the complexity of the position, followed by a CV review call where we talk through each candidate in detail, bringing their experience to life and providing context beyond what’s on paper. Throughout the process, we provide a minimum of twice‑weekly updates (or as otherwise agreed), with interview feedback shared within 48 hours. Following placement, we carry out structured follow‑ups at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months to ensure a strong and lasting fit for both client and candidate.

Our average time to fill for permanent vacancies is 33 days from the point of vacancy registration.

Our average time to fill for contract vacancies is 5 days from the point of vacancy registration.

Post Placement: Follow up at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months, to ensure long term fit.

Post-Placement Support for Contract Placements: Follow up at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months to ensure successful integration.

What sets us apart is our deep sector expertise and the care we put into doing things properly. We genuinely know our markets, roles and challenges, and we take the time to deliver quality rather than rushing to fill vacancies.

Most importantly, our people are the heart of our business. We invest heavily in their development, support and wellbeing, which means they are knowledgeable, engaged and genuinely care about the outcomes they deliver.

That commitment carries through to our clients, we don’t operate as a transactional supplier, but as a true recruitment partner, working as an extension of your brand to represent your business professionally and consistently in the market.