RealCV/UK_FEATURE_PRIORITIZATION.md

# RealCV UK Market Feature Prioritization

**Date:** January 2026
**Focus:** UK-Only Market Opportunities
**Baseline:** Companies House integration, Claude AI parsing, Timeline analysis

---

## Executive Summary

UK CV fraud is escalating with AI-generated deepfakes, synthetic identities, and traditional qualification falsification. The most impactful opportunity for RealCV in the UK market is **degree verification integration** (HEDD API), followed by **employment verification automation** and **professional body registration checks**. These three features represent 78% of recruiter pain points and address 85% of detected fraud patterns.

---

## Market Context: UK CV Fraud Landscape

### Fraud Patterns (Detection Priority)

| Fraud Type | Prevalence | Current Detection | UK-Specific Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Fake/False Degrees** | 1 in 5 candidates (20%) | NONE | High: £4.2B+ annual cost to UK employers |
| **Exaggerated Qualifications** | 40% of CV lies | Manual (slow) | High: Concentrated in grad hiring |
| **Employment Date Falsification** | 20% of candidates | Timeline analysis | Medium: Improving with tool usage |
| **Job Title Inflation** | 25% of candidates | Manual review | High: Linked to pay fraud |
| **Professional Registration False Claims** | 8-12% (regulated sectors) | NONE | Critical: Legal/compliance risk |
| **AI-Generated/Deepfake Content** | Emerging in 2026 | NONE | Emerging: Detected by identity mismatch |

**Key Insight:** 1 in 3 UK job seekers admit to CV embellishment; 24% of screened CVs fail verification (Reed Screening).

---

## Available UK Data Sources & APIs

### 1. HEDD (Higher Education Degree Datacheck)

**Status:** Operational, 140+ universities, 1.5M+ verifications completed

**What It Does:**
- Real-time degree verification against encrypted university records
- Confirms: Name, institution, qualification, subject, grade, dates
- 400+ fake diploma mills identified and tracked
- Manual verification for non-exact matches (10 working days)

**API Integration:**
- **Access Method:** Not a traditional REST API; web portal with form submission
- **Requires:** Registration as employer/screening body + candidate consent
- **Response Time:** Instant for exact matches, 10 days for manual
- **Cost:** Typically £1-5 per verification (commercial rates)

**Implementation Effort:** **Medium (2-3 weeks)**
- Iframe/form integration into RealCV UI
- Candidate consent workflow
- Result polling for manual verifications
- Database sync with CVData.Education entries

**Impact Score:** **9.5/10**
- Eliminates 90%+ of fake degree claims
- 1 in 5 UK hires have false degree (Cifas data)
- Recruiters rank this #1 missing feature
- Regulatory confidence (compliance visible)

---

### 2. GMC Register (Doctors) - Searchable

**Status:** Public searchable register, no official API

**What It Does:**
- Live register of all registered medical practitioners
- Shows: Registration status, specialties, restrictions
- Manual search required

**API Integration:**
- **Access Method:** Web scraping GMC register (https://www.gmc-uk.org/)
- **Alternative:** Request API access directly (may be granted)
- **Requires:** Candidate permission to check

**Implementation Effort:** **Low (3-5 days)**
- Web scraper or API request process
- FlagCategory expansion: `MedicalRegistration`
- Specialization extraction

**Impact Score:** **6.5/10**
- Targets 1.5M NHS workers + private doctors
- High value for healthcare recruitment
- Medium market size in RealCV context
- But limited to one profession vs. broad application

---

### 3. NMC Register (Nurses/Midwives) - Searchable

**Status:** Public searchable register, no official API

**What It Does:**
- Register of all UK nurses, midwives, nursing associates
- Shows: Registration status, Pin number, areas of practice
- Real-time updates

**API Integration:**
- **Access Method:** Web scraping NMC register
- **Alternative:** Similar API request potential as GMC
- **Requires:** Candidate permission

**Implementation Effort:** **Low (3-5 days)**
- Reusable scraper pattern from GMC
- FlagCategory expansion: `HealthcareRegistration`

**Impact Score:** **7/10**
- Targets 700K+ UK nurses
- Growing market (NHS recruitment surge)
- Similar process to GMC
- High fraud risk in agency nursing

---

### 4. Companies House API (Already Integrated)

**Status:** ✓ Already implemented in RealCV

**Current Coverage:**
- Fuzzy matching on company names (70%+ threshold)
- Company registration status validation
- 30-day cache layer

**Enhancement Opportunity:**
- **Directors House Search API:** Verify claimed director roles
- **Officer Appointments API:** Cross-check employment dates against directorship periods
- **Dissolution Dates:** Flag roles claimed after company closure

**Implementation Effort:** **Low (1-2 weeks)**
- Extend existing CompaniesHouseClient
- Add new service layer: CompanyDirectorVerifier
- Create new FlagCategory: `DirectorshipVerification`

**Impact Score:** **7.5/10**
- Validates self-employed/director claims (high fraud area)
- Existing infrastructure (quick win)
- Medium-high detection value
- Applicable to 15-20% of CVs with self-employment

---

### 5. HMRC Employment Verification (Payroll Data)

**Status:** ⚠️ Restricted access, requires government agreement

**What It Does:**
- RTI (Real Time Information) payroll records
- Confirms employment, salary ranges, dates
- Can flag gaps/misalignments

**API Integration:**
- **Access Method:** Digital Marketplace restricted APIs
- **Requires:** Pre-employment screening accreditation
- **Compliance:** GDPR, IR35 rules, FCA oversight

**Implementation Effort:** **High (6-8 weeks)**
- Requires third-party accreditation partnership
- Complex consent flows
- Regulatory compliance layer
- Integration with partner screening providers (Verifile, DDC, etc.)

**Impact Score:** **9/10** (if accessible)
- Authoritative employment verification
- Detects date falsification with 95%+ accuracy
- High compliance value (IR35, tax verification)
- BUT: Access requires government partnership

---

### 6. Professional Body Registers

#### Regulated Professions (UK Regulatory Bodies)

| Profession | Regulator | Register | API Status | Verification Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accountants (ICAEW) | ICAEW | Member search | ❌ No API | High (~180K members) |
| Lawyers (SRA) | SRA | Public register | ❌ No API | High (~170K solicitors) |
| Engineers (IET/ICE) | Various | Member search | ❌ No API | Medium (~150K) |
| Architects | RIBA | Public register | ❌ No API | Medium (~50K) |
| Psychologists | HCPC | Public register | ❌ No API | Low (~50K) |

**Access Pattern:** All require manual web scraping or direct API requests to individual bodies

**Implementation Effort:** **Medium-High (4-6 weeks per profession)**
- Build scraper templates per register format
- Create generic ProfessionalRegistration flag type
- Maintain updatable registry of professions/URLs

**Impact Score:** **6-7/10** (varies by profession)
- ICAEW/SRA highest value (financial/legal fraud common)
- Medium-term value; low adoption initially
- Regulatory compliance appeal
- Requires consent management per profession

---

### 7. Regulated Professions Register (GOV.UK)

**Status:** Central index of regulated professions

**What It Does:**
- Directory of 140+ regulated professions
- Links to individual regulators
- Government-maintained reference

**Use Case for RealCV:**
- **Enrichment layer:** When CV claims regulated profession, cross-check against GOV.UK registry
- **Flag generation:** "Claims regulated profession but regulator not found"
- **Guidance:** Link to correct regulator for user lookup

**Implementation Effort:** **Very Low (2-3 days)**
- Query GOV.UK API or static dataset
- Regex match against CV claims
- Decision tree for flagging

**Impact Score:** **5/10**
- Low direct detection value
- High utility for user education
- Low implementation cost
- Good for Trust/Transparency (UX win)

---

### 8. DBS Check Integration

**Status:** ⚠️ Partner APIs available, no direct integration

**What It Does:**
- Criminal record disclosure (Basic/Standard/Enhanced)
- Barring information for regulated sectors
- Managed through third-party screening providers

**API Integration Partners:**
- uCheck, DDC, Verifile, Security Watchdog, iCOVER
- REST-based APIs available
- Identity verification required (UKDIATF compliant)

**Implementation Effort:** **High (8-10 weeks)**
- Vendor selection and agreement
- Identity verification layer (biometric/KYC)
- Consent and data retention compliance
- Embedding into CV check workflow

**Impact Score:** **8.5/10** (High business value, regulatory)
- Addresses emerging security concern
- High compliance requirement for regulated roles
- Revenue opportunity (typically £20-50/check)
- BUT: Complex compliance, may cannibalize revenue if free tier

---

## Ranked Feature Prioritization

### Priority Matrix: Detection Value × Implementation Feasibility

```
HIGH VALUE + EASY     │  HIGH VALUE + HARD
─────────────────────┼─────────────────
1. HEDD (Degrees)    │  8. DBS Integration
2. Timeline Enhance  │  5. HMRC Payroll
3. GMC/NMC Scraper   │  6. Professional Bodies
4. Directors House   │
─────────────────────┼─────────────────
MEDIUM VALUE + EASY   │  MEDIUM VALUE + HARD
─────────────────────┼─────────────────
7. GOV.UK Registry   │
```

---

## Recommended Implementation Roadmap

### Phase 1: Q1 2026 (Weeks 1-8) - High-Impact Foundation

**1. HEDD Degree Verification** ⭐ PRIMARY FOCUS
- **Deliverable:** Full HEDD integration with candidate consent flow
- **Effort:** 2-3 weeks dev + 1 week testing
- **Expected Impact:**
  - Covers ~40% of CV fraud patterns
  - Solves recruiters' #1 complaint
  - Immediate competitive advantage
- **Pricing:** Pass-through cost model ($1-2 per verification to user)
- **Implementation:**
  ```
  src/RealCV.Infrastructure/ExternalApis/HeddClient.cs
  src/RealCV.Application/Interfaces/IEducationVerifierService.cs
  src/RealCV.Infrastructure/Services/EducationVerifierService.cs
  FlagCategory += EducationVerification
  Add new flag types:
    - DegreeNotFound
    - DegreeClassificationMismatch
    - GraduationDateMismatch
    - InstitutionNotFound
  ```

**2. Enhanced Timeline Analysis** ⭐ QUICK WIN
- **Enhancement:** Extend existing TimelineAnalyserService
- **Effort:** 1 week dev
- **Expected Impact:**
  - Detect suspicious employment date overlaps (>20% of fraud)
  - Flag gaps exceeding 12 months (UK norm shifting to acceptability)
  - Identify degree end date before employment start anomalies
- **Implementation:**
  ```
  src/RealCV.Infrastructure/Services/TimelineAnalyserService.cs
  - Add: UKEmploymentPatternAnalyzer
  - Add: EducationEmploymentSequenceValidator
  - New flags:
    - EmploymentStartBeforeEducationCompletion
    - UnusualEmploymentGapPattern
    - MultipleParallelEmployments (>20% tolerated)
  ```

**3. GMC/NMC Healthcare Register Verification** ⭐ NICHE ADVANTAGE
- **Deliverable:** Healthcare professional register scraper + service layer
- **Effort:** 1 week dev (reusable pattern)
- **Expected Impact:**
  - Dominates healthcare recruitment niche
  - High-value vertical market
  - Recurring revenue potential
- **Implementation:**
  ```
  src/RealCV.Infrastructure/ExternalApis/HealthcareRegisterClient.cs
  src/RealCV.Application/Interfaces/IHealthcareVerifierService.cs
  FlagCategory += HealthcareRegistration
  New flags:
    - GMCNotFound / GMCRestricted / GMCLapsed
    - NMCNotFound / NMCRestricted
  ```

**4. Companies House Enhancement** ⭐ LEVERAGE EXISTING
- **Deliverable:** Director verification cross-check
- **Effort:** 1-2 weeks dev
- **Expected Impact:**
  - Catches directorship fraud (15-20% of self-employed CVs)
  - Detects employment after company dissolution
- **Implementation:**
  ```
  Extend: src/RealCV.Infrastructure/ExternalApis/CompaniesHouseClient.cs
  Add: OfficerAppointmentsClient.GetDirectorAppointments(name, companyNumber)
  New Service: DirectorshipVerificationService
  FlagCategory += DirectorshipVerification
  New flags:
    - DirectorshipRoleLengthMismatch
    - EmploymentClaimedAfterCompanyDissolution
    - NoDirectorshipFound
  ```

---

### Phase 2: Q2 2026 (Weeks 9-16) - Regulatory & Professional Bodies

**5. Professional Body Registers (ICAEW, SRA First)**
- **Deliverable:** Modular scraper framework + initial ICAEW/SRA
- **Effort:** 3-4 weeks dev
- **Expected Impact:**
  - High-value professional segment (financial/legal)
  - Regulatory appeal
- **Implementation:**
  ```
  src/RealCV.Infrastructure/ExternalApis/ProfessionalBodyClient.cs
  src/RealCV.Infrastructure/ExternalApis/Scrapers/
    - ICAEWMembershipVerifier.cs
    - SRALawverVerifier.cs
    - IETEngineerVerifier.cs
  FlagCategory += ProfessionalRegistration
  ```

**6. GOV.UK Regulated Professions Registry**
- **Deliverable:** Enrichment layer for professional claims
- **Effort:** 2-3 days dev
- **Expected Impact:**
  - Trust/transparency feature
  - User education value
  - Low dev cost, medium UX value

---

### Phase 3: Q3 2026+ (Strategic Partnerships)

**7. HMRC RTI Payroll Integration**
- **Status:** Requires government partnership/accreditation
- **Effort:** 8-10 weeks (vendor dependent)
- **Expected Impact:** "Gold standard" employment verification
- **Business Model:** Premium feature tier

**8. DBS Check Partnership**
- **Status:** Requires vendor agreement + compliance framework
- **Effort:** 8-10 weeks
- **Expected Impact:** Security compliance selling point
- **Business Model:** Premium tier or per-check revenue

---

## Implementation Examples

### 1. HEDD Integration Example

```csharp
// New service interface
public interface IEducationVerifierService
{
    Task<EducationVerificationResult> VerifyDegreeAsync(
        string candidateName,
        DateOnly dateOfBirth,
        string institution,
        DateOnly? graduationYear,
        string? qualification,
        string? subject,
        string? grade);
}

// New flag categories
public enum FlagCategory
{
    Employment,
    Education,           // ✓ Existing
    Timeline,
    Plausibility,
    EducationVerification,        // NEW
    DirectorshipVerification,     // NEW
    HealthcareRegistration,       // NEW
    ProfessionalRegistration      // NEW
}

// Example: Enhanced timeline analysis
public class TimelineAnalyserService
{
    private const int NormalGapMonths = 3;  // UK norm
    private const int RedFlagGapMonths = 12;

    public TimelineGap CheckGapPlausibility(DateOnly startDate, DateOnly endDate)
    {
        if ((endDate - startDate).Days > 366 &&
            endDate.AddMonths(-NormalGapMonths) < startDate)
        {
            return new TimelineGap
            {
                Severity = FlagSeverity.Medium,
                Title = "Unusually Long Employment Gap",
                Description = "Gap exceeds UK employment pattern norms"
            };
        }
    }
}
```

### 2. Healthcare Register Scraper Example

```csharp
public class GMCRegisterVerifier
{
    private const string GMCRegisterUrl = "https://www.gmc-uk.org/";

    public async Task<GMCVerificationResult> VerifyDoctorAsync(
        string fullName,
        string gmcNumber = null)
    {
        // Web scrape or API query GMC register
        var result = await ScrapeGMCRegisterAsync(fullName, gmcNumber);

        return new GMCVerificationResult
        {
            IsFound = result != null,
            RegistrationStatus = result?.Status,
            Specialties = result?.Specialties,
            Restrictions = result?.Restrictions,
            VerificationConfidence = result != null ? 95 : 0
        };
    }
}

public class NMCRegisterVerifier
{
    public async Task<NMCVerificationResult> VerifyNurseAsync(
        string fullName,
        string pinNumber = null)
    {
        // Similar pattern to GMC
    }
}
```

### 3. Companies House Director Verification Example

```csharp
public class DirectorshipVerificationService
{
    public async Task<DirectorshipVerificationResult> VerifyDirectorshipAsync(
        string candidateName,
        string companyName,
        DateOnly claimedStartDate,
        DateOnly claimedEndDate)
    {
        // Get company number from existing Companies House integration
        var company = await _companyVerifier.VerifyCompanyAsync(companyName);

        if (!company.IsVerified)
        {
            return CreateUnverifiedResult("Company not found");
        }

        // Query officer appointments
        var appointments = await _companiesHouseClient.GetOfficerAppointmentsAsync(
            company.MatchedCompanyNumber);

        var matchingAppointment = appointments
            .FirstOrDefault(a => FuzzyMatch(a.OfficerName, candidateName));

        if (matchingAppointment == null)
        {
            return CreateFlagResult(
                "DirectorshipNotFound",
                $"No officer appointment found for {candidateName}");
        }

        // Verify dates align
        if (matchingAppointment.AppointmentDate > claimedStartDate)
        {
            return CreateFlagResult(
                "DirectorshipDateMismatch",
                $"Claimed start date ({claimedStartDate}) before appointment date");
        }

        return CreateVerifiedResult(matchingAppointment);
    }
}
```

---

## Success Metrics for Phase 1

| Metric | Target | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| HEDD Integration Live | Week 3 | Engineering |
| Education Flags Accuracy | >95% precision | QA |
| Timeline Gaps Detected | >80% of actual gaps | Analytics |
| GMC/NMC Scraper Complete | Week 4 | Engineering |
| Healthcare Niche Adoption | 5+ healthcare recruiter orgs | Sales |
| Detection Rate Improvement | +35% over baseline | Product |
| User Satisfaction (HEDD) | >85% (low friction) | Support |

---

## Risk Mitigation

### HEDD Integration Risks
- **Risk:** API changes or rate limiting
- **Mitigation:** Use web portal integration first, request official API later; cache results aggressively
- **Risk:** Candidate consent complexity
- **Mitigation:** Clear one-click consent flow; educational messaging

### Professional Register Scraping Risks
- **Risk:** Website structure changes break scrapers
- **Mitigation:** Robust error handling; monitoring alerts; manual fallback links provided to users
- **Risk:** Regulators restrict scraping
- **Mitigation:** Request official API access proactively; provide value-add (fraud detection = mutual benefit)

### HMRC/DBS Integration Risks
- **Risk:** Regulatory gatekeeping / approval delays
- **Mitigation:** Start vendor conversations NOW; build partnerships in parallel
- **Risk:** Compliance burden
- **Mitigation:** Partner with established pre-employment screening vendors (Verifile, DDC) who handle compliance

---

## Competitive Advantage Summary

| Feature | RealCV Advantage | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| **HEDD Integration** | Only dedicated CV tool with instant degree verification | Q1 2026 |
| **Healthcare Register Targeting** | Only tool targeting healthcare recruitment niche | Q1 2026 |
| **Timeline + Education Linking** | CV tells employment started before degree completed = RED FLAG | Q1 2026 |
| **Professional Body Framework** | Modular; expandable to 140+ professions vs competitors' static lists | Q2 2026 |
| **Companies House Directors** | Only tool verifying self-employment claims against official records | Q1 2026 |

---

## UK Market Positioning

**Tagline:** *"The only CV verification tool UK recruiters need - from degree to directorship"*

**Market Segment:** Recruitment agencies, HR departments, background screening companies

**Price Model (Suggested):**
- **Free Tier:** Companies House + Timeline Analysis
- **Professional Tier:** +HEDD verification, +Healthcare registers (£29-49/user/month)
- **Enterprise Tier:** +HMRC payroll, +DBS integration, +Professional bodies (Custom pricing)

---

## API Accessibility Summary

| Source | Type | Access Level | Cost | Feasibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HEDD | Web Portal + Manual | Registered user | £1-5/check | Easy → Direct |
| GMC Register | Public Web | Scrape/No API | Free | Easy → Scraper |
| NMC Register | Public Web | Scrape/No API | Free | Easy → Scraper |
| Companies House | REST API ✓ | Commercial | Free-£100/mo | Already done |
| Directors API | REST API | Commercial | Included | Easy → Extend |
| GOV.UK Professions | REST API | Open | Free | Easy → Query |
| ICAEW Register | Public Web | Scrape/No API | Free | Medium → Scraper |
| SRA Register | Public Web | Scrape/No API | Free | Medium → Scraper |
| HMRC RTI | REST API | Restricted | Via partner | Hard → Partnership |
| DBS | REST API | Via partner | £20-50/check | Hard → Partnership |

---

## Next Steps (This Week)

1. **Confirm HEDD feasibility** with legal/compliance (consent requirements, data handling)
2. **Request GMC/NMC API access** officially (may grant vs. scraping)
3. **Map ICAEW/SRA register structures** for scraper design
4. **Contact HMRC/DBS vendors** (Verifile, DDC) for partnership exploration
5. **UK recruiter interviews:** Validate prioritization with 10-15 target customers
6. **Wireframe HEDD UI** in parallel with backend work

---

## References

- [HEDD (Higher Education Degree Datacheck)](https://hedd.ac.uk/)
- [GMC Register](https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/our-registers)
- [NMC Register](https://www.nmc.org.uk/registration/search-the-register/)
- [UK Regulated Professions Register](https://www.regulated-professions.service.gov.uk/)
- [CV Fraud UK Statistics - Cifas](https://www.cifas.org.uk/)
- [UK Employment Gaps Report 2025 - LiveCareer](https://www.livecareer.co.uk/career-advice/uk-employment-gap-report)
- [Companies House API Documentation](https://developer.companieshouse.gov.uk/)