UKC

I had an agency call me last night offering me a job, obviously without thinking on the excitement I jumped at the opportunity. I just said yes to everything without even thinking. And then they sent me an email with attachments to fill, but the documents they require got me thinking a little. Is it normal to request passport front and photo page. 2 proofs of where I live, bills etc. Proof of Nat Ins No.
It has been a long time since I have applied for a job and the whole passport thing threw me into suspicion as now they have pretty much every step of the last 20 years of my life, plus all of my personal info and official info.
These guys could absolutely fleece me if they wanted to with all this info. Open bank accounts, get credit etc. or am I being paranoid, is all this normal?

In reply to Dominicandave:
Is it for dstl or the like?

In reply to Dominicandave:

Can't you google them see if they are genuine, give them a call?

In reply to Dominicandave:

Normal for agency work. Don't waste your time with them, most agencies suck.

In reply to krikoman:

I have googled them and called them, but there is a few concerns when I googled the number. But mostly it seems legit, but I don't know, just seemed excessive, but if it normal then fair enough.

In reply to Removed User:

Don't really have a choice, I think I am registered with almost every agency in the country at the moment, or it seems that way. Sometimes you just got to do anything you can when desperate.

In reply to Ste Brom:

No!

In reply to Dominicandave:
I wouldn't say it was normal for a job of a non-sensitive nature, but not unheard of.
Getting a bit nosey recruiters these days!

In reply to Dominicandave:

It's usual to be asked for this information at some point during the employment process. Companies have to prove that they are making an effort to check that they aren't employing anyone illegally.

All my recent jobs have not been through agencies, and I have handed over this information directly to the employer when I have signed my contract.

If you are in a situation where your contract is with an agency, then it is legitimate to ask you for this information. I wouldn't be surprised if some agencies collect this information even if your final contract will be with the employer as collecting this information on the employer's behalf is part of what the employer pays them to do.

Obviously this is open to abuse and if you have any alarm bells ringing by all means check them out before handing over the information!

https://www.gov.uk/check-job-applicant-right-to-work

In reply to Dominicandave:

They have to check your passport or be fined upto £20k!

They need your NI number to sort out your tax.

In reply to marsbar:
This ^^^^^^ and more...

Where immigration is concerned, there is some discretion as to which stage of the process you are asked for this information and the only absolute necessity is for the data and front pages of your passport (IF you turn out to be British) but the rules are astonishingly draconian. How many of you know that employers can be caught out if they don't insist that ALL interviewees bring their passport to an interview? We employ some highly skilled migrants on a work visa and had a visit from the Border Agency. We passed the audit but boy those guys are stern. Scary.

All the information you've been asked for is normal nowadays for an increasing number of employers. But the residence information is probably required for credit and police checks, not for immigration, and will be at the request of the employer. Believe me agencies don't ask for all this because they want to waste hours and hours doing pointless admin or have any interest in your private information. The client wants a credit or a police check done on you and will not employ you until it is complete.

Goodness, some nonsense is talked on here about agencies. some agencies believe it or not are even quite good, and the speed of the job offer and efficiency of the information gathering may actually be a good sign.

In reply to Dominicandave:

Seems reasonable to me. They need to check that you are legally allowed to work in the UK. However, be wary and do a few (Google) checks first. Agencies are the bane of the employment world, but at the end of the day they connect workers with work so they are a necessary evil one has to live with.

That said, it is quite easy to play agents and saying yes to every question is the first key to success.

In reply to BnB:
My National insurance number is also going to throw up interest as I have never earned wages from the UK, and so what they will make of that I dunno. What info do they get from having my NI no, can they see how much I have been earning abroad?

In reply to Dominicandave:

ALL employers are required by law to ensure that anyone they employ MUST have proof of the right to work in the UK. Obviously as an employer the first thing most ask for is a copy of your passport. If you are British or an EU National then thats accepted as proof.

It is perfectly normal to do or ask this prior to appointment and following a successful interview. A national insurance number will, in any case be required whether you are English or from China.

Most employers would simply ask you where you live. They have a right to insist on this information and I would normally simply ask people for their address, but depending on the job and industry you are in I might just ask for proof!

Would I volunteer this to an agency - rather than directly to an employer? I don't have enough experience to answer this. It may be more relevant if they are paying you directly rather than via a third party and so on. If the agency is legitimate they have a legal duty (Data Protection Act) to use the information you give them for only the purposes it is asked for and must not disclose this information to ANYONE without your express permission.

In reply to Dominicandave:

The NI tells them little as far as I can recall. It certainly will not tell them where, when or how much you get or got paid before. Thats for the tax people!

But it against your NI number that your pension and other contributions get tallied so they'll need it.