What "Identity Verified" means
The tutor is the person on the photo ID they showed. Confirmed by Stripe — the same provider banks and payment companies use for the same purpose.
How it works
A photo ID and a quick selfie. Two minutes, in the browser. We don't see the document or the selfie — Stripe handles it and just tells us pass or fail.
Two checks, two methods
Identity verification is automated. DBS review is manual. That split is deliberate:
- Identity is a low-risk, well-understood problem. Automation does it faster and more consistently than a person.
- DBS involves criminal-record information. We won't outsource that decision to an automated service — every certificate is reviewed by a member of our team.
What we keep
Just the verified name and the date. No document images, no biometrics, no ID numbers. Once your DBS review's done we ask Stripe to clear their copy too.
For parents
The Identity Verified badge is a small but useful trust signal. It tells you the person behind the profile is who they say they are. For child tutoring specifically, the badge to look for is DBS Verified — that's the one that actually speaks to safeguarding. Identity verification is the first step a tutor takes on the way there.
For tutors
One-off £3.00, two minutes, done. Covers your identity check and a DBS review if you submit one. Once verified, both badges live on your profile and in search.