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How we check businesses

Help and rules

Version 1.0, last updated 5 Nov 2026

Principles

  1. We say what we checked and when, and nothing more.
  2. No check proves honesty or quality. The badge says so.
  3. A person looks at every check. Software may prepare the evidence.
  4. We keep the result and the trail, not copies of IDs.
  5. The badge says "Checked", not "Verified". Companies House uses "Verified" for its own identity checks, and we do not want to be mistaken for it.
  6. Employers only. A recruiter is not eligible.

The rungs

Rung 1. Member (not a business check)

  • Earned by: a confirmed email address, the robot check, the terms and house rules accepted, 16 or over.
  • Unlocks: read, ask, answer, save jobs, apply, download.
  • Proves: the person controls a mailbox. Cost: nil. Badge: none.

Rung 2A. Checked company

The reviewer's steps (about five minutes):

  1. Find the company on Companies House by number. Record: company number; name as registered; status (must be active); type; date of creation; registered office and whether it is flagged undeliverable; accounts (not overdue); confirmation statement (not overdue); whether an insolvency history is flagged.
  2. Match the name on the application to the registered name, or to a clear trading name the company's website states.
  3. Check that the applicant is a current director or a person with significant control. Look for "Verified" beside their name on the People tab. Record: seen, not seen, or not yet due.
  4. Send a one-time code to an address at the company's own domain. Check that the website names the same company and number, or the same address.
  5. Look at the website and, for the first ad, at the ad. A person decides.
  6. SIC codes are hints only. Jewellery codes (recalled): 32120, 32130, 46480, 47770, 95250. Recruitment codes 78100, 78200 and 78300 (recalled) mean the company cannot post (employers only).
  • Proves: a registered company by that name exists, is active and files on time; the applicant is one of its officers or controllers; the applicant controls a mailbox at its domain.
  • Does not prove: that it trades, that its SIC code is true, or that it is honest or good.
  • Cost: nil (the register's data service is free with a key) plus the reviewer's minutes.
  • Evidence kept: date and time of the look-up; the fields above; the officer matched; "Verified" seen or not; the domain; the reviewer; a link to the source.
  • Badge: "Checked on (date): we checked this business's registration and identity against Companies House and a code sent to a work email address. This is not a review of their work."

Rung 2B. Checked sole trader

Sole traders are not on the Companies House register. Nothing official and public exists for them except a VAT number if they have one.

Steps (about twenty minutes in all):

  1. Identity. The member chooses: (a) an ID check with a provider (a document and a selfie, matched by the provider), or (b) a ten-minute video call at the bench. Face matching is special category data: it needs the member's explicit consent, and the video call is an equal alternative.
  2. Trading address. A code sent by post to the address, or a short video of the workshop.
  3. References. Two from checked members, or a trade body membership number (NAJ or RJC, looked up).
  4. A person decides.
  • Proves: a real person, at a real address, vouched for by others.
  • Does not prove: skill, honesty, or that the business is lawful.
  • Evidence kept: the method; the date; pass or fail; how the address was confirmed and when; the referees' member names; the trade body number looked up. Not kept: ID images (held by the provider). We do not record video calls.
  • Badge: "Checked on (date): we checked this business's registration and identity against an identity check (or a video call), its trading address and two references. This is not a review of their work."
  • Unlocks: the same as 2A.

Rung 3. Trade credentials (separate dated badges)

  • NAJ member
    • How we check: NAJ "Check a Member", by name or membership number
    • Badge line: "NAJ member, checked on (date)"
    • Notes: Free
  • VAT number
    • How we check: HMRC VAT API: the name and address for that number
    • Badge line: "VAT number matched to name and address on (date)"
    • Notes: Only for VAT-registered businesses. Needs the two-week registration first
  • Assay office sponsor's mark
    • How we check: Ask the named assay office to confirm; no public register
    • Badge line: "Sponsor's mark confirmed with (the office) on (date)"
    • Notes: Manual and slow. Never a gate: many genuine makers never hallmark

These prove membership or registration only. Never quality. Each badge is dated and shows its source.

Rung 4. Standing (earned)

  • Earned by: six months active, no upheld reports, two vouches from checked members. Automatic.
  • Badge: "Standing" (the track record on The Bench only).

The badge wording

The template, as agreed: "Checked on (date): we checked this business's registration and identity against (sources). This is not a review of their work."

  • (sources) is filled in from the rung: "Companies House and a code sent to a work email address"; or "an identity check, its trading address and two references".
  • It shows on the business page and beside every ad, with the date, and links to a "What this means" page.
  • The "What this means" page lists what was checked, what was not, and how to report a problem. It says that Google Business Profile, reviews and the business's own claims were not used as proof.

Re-checks

  • At least every 12 months.
  • Sooner when: the company's status changes; a director is replaced; accounts or the confirmation statement become overdue; a report about the business is upheld; the business tells us of a change.
  • A failed re-check pauses the badge after 14 days' notice, and the business's live ads are held until it is fixed.

If a check fails

We tell the applicant in plain words which check failed. They may apply again once with fresh evidence. They can appeal to a person who did not do the first check. We keep the failure record for 12 months so repeated attempts are noticed.

What we never claim

  • "Genuine businesses only", "vetted", "approved", "endorsed", "recommended", "safe", "trusted", "guaranteed" or "accredited".
  • Anything about quality, skill, honesty, ethics, insurance, finances, hallmarking compliance or how a business treats its staff.
  • That Companies House, the NAJ, the RJC, HMRC or an assay office has approved the business, or The Bench.
  • A badge with no date, or one older than its re-check.
  • That a Google Business Profile, a review or the business's own website proves anything.
  • The word "Verified" on our badge (Principle 5).

Data protection for the checks

Our legal reason is legitimate interests, and explicit consent for face matching. We keep the result and the trail for the life of the badge plus 12 months. Only named reviewers see check records, and every look is in the audit log.

Who provides The Bench

The Bench, by Hamed Arab Academy, is provided by Studio Saina Ltd, company number 12770445, Victoria Mansions, 32-35 Hall Street, Birmingham B18 6BS. You can write to us at hi@hamedarab.academy.