Free employment referencing for 3 months
New customers get 3 months of free referencing. Lily sends every reference request, chases referees until they reply, and keeps every response with a full audit trail.
Claim free referencing See how long you’re waiting nowNew customers only. Works alongside your current ATS.
How long do care providers wait for references?
A typical UK care provider waits around 6 weeks (42 days) for references (What UK care providers report to Lily, 2026). With Lily, the median time to get a full set of references back is 8.9 days (Lily platform data, Sep 2026).
| Employer | Time to full set of references | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Typical UK care provider | around 6 weeks (42 days) | What UK care providers report to Lily, 2026 |
| With Lily (full set, median) | 8.9 days | Lily platform data, Sep 2026 |
View as table
| Employer | Time to full set of references | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Typical UK care provider | around 6 weeks (42 days) | What UK care providers report to Lily, 2026 |
| With Lily (full set, median) | 8.9 days | Lily platform data, Sep 2026 |
Every week a reference is outstanding is a week a new starter can’t take a shift.
What would faster references save you?
Change the numbers to match your team. No sign-up needed.
Estimates only, based on Lily's median of 8.9 days to get a full set of references back (Lily platform data, Sep 2026). Your results will depend on your referees and roles.
How does Lily handle references?
Employment and character references, going as far back as you need, including a full 5-year employment history.
- 01
Request on consent
As soon as the candidate gives consent, Lily sends a reference request to every referee they have listed.
- 02
Chase until they reply
Lily follows up by email until each referee responds. If a referee asks to be contacted on a specific date, Lily pauses and resumes then.
- 03
File it with an audit trail
Every reply lands on the candidate record with a full audit trail. Gaps in employment history are flagged for your team to review.
What results do Lily customers see?
Sonderwell moved its frontline hiring onto Lily. Here is what changed.
Read the Sonderwell case studyHow does the free referencing offer work?
New customers only. Referencing is free for the first 3 months after your Lily account goes live. After that, references are paid for with Lily tokens at standard rates. Includes employment and character references. You can use Lily for referencing on its own, alongside the ATS you already have.
Frequently asked questions
Who can claim free referencing?
New Lily customers. Referencing is free for the first 3 months after your Lily account goes live.
Do I need to replace my ATS?
No. You can use Lily for referencing on its own, alongside the ATS you already have.
How does Lily chase referees?
Once the candidate consents, Lily sends each reference request and follows up by email until the referee replies. If a referee asks to be contacted on a specific date, Lily pauses and picks up again then.
What happens after 3 months?
After the first 3 months, references are paid for with Lily tokens at standard rates.
How far back can references go?
As far back as you need, including a full 5-year employment history. Lily handles both employment and character references.