About BIOR, at a glance
The British Institute of Recruiters (BIOR) is a professional body for UK recruitment, founded in 2011. This page holds the facts in one place. The full description is at Who we are.
The facts
Name. The British Institute of Recruiters, known as BIOR. In older material and on some third-party sites it appears as IOR or BIoR. They are the same organisation.
Founded. 2011.
Legal form. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales, company number 07575583.
Registered office. Suite 7, First Floor, Parkway 2, Princess Road, Manchester M14 7LU.
Director General. Azmat Mohammed.
What it is. A professional body for recruitment agencies, recruiters and in-house recruiters. It sets a standard, the BIOR Code of Professional and Ethical Conduct, tests its members against current UK recruitment law and the Code through the certification assessment, keeps a public record of who belongs, and takes complaints under a published complaints procedure.
What it is not. Not a regulator. The Fair Work Agency enforces UK recruitment law on every agency whether or not it belongs to anything. Not a chartered body. BIOR has never described itself as one, and it is not pursuing chartered status at this time. Membership of BIOR is voluntary.
Membership. Agency Membership for a recruitment business, covering everyone who works in it, priced by the turnover of the business and quoted by the team. Personal Membership for a recruiter in their own name, as a Member (MBIOR) or a Fellow (FBIOR), £120 a year. STAR for an in-house recruiter, £120 a year.
Certification. Every membership includes the certification assessment, taken online from the member's dashboard. A pass is certified for five years, then taken again, free. The assessment was developed with input from the state enforcement bodies for employment rights of the time, whose functions have sat within the Fair Work Agency since April 2026, and it is kept current as the law changes.
Public record. The directory of members at ior.org/certified, and a verification page for every member at ior.org/verify showing whether the credential is active, what it is and the dates.
Publications. The weekly Member Briefing, for members, on what changed in employment law and what it means for their desk. The Employment Rights Hub, free to read, plain-English guidance on the Fair Work Agency and the Employment Rights Act, reviewed every week against government sources.
Related brands. Summit Qualifications UK, BIOR's Ofqual regulated awarding and end point assessment brand. StudyCourse, BIOR's online learning platform.
Contact. support@ior.org for enquiries, accounts@ior.org for renewals, +44 (0)161 232 0991.
Questions people ask
Are BIOR, BIoR and IOR the same organisation?
Yes. The British Institute of Recruiters has used the short forms IOR and BIoR in older material. BIOR is the form used now. Company number 07575583 in every case.
Is BIOR a regulator?
No. BIOR is a professional body. UK recruitment law, the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003, is enforced by the Fair Work Agency on every agency and employment business, whether or not it belongs to a professional body.
Is BIOR a chartered body?
No. BIOR is not a chartered body and has never described itself as one. In 2017 it said it hoped to seek chartered status in time; it is not pursuing that at this time.
Where is BIOR based?
Manchester. The registered office is Suite 7, First Floor, Parkway 2, Princess Road, Manchester M14 7LU. Membership, certification and verification are online.
How do I check whether someone is a BIOR member?
Enter the membership number or the name at ior.org/verify. The page shows Active or Lapsed, the credential and the dates. Nothing private is shown.
Written by The BIOR Membership Team. Last reviewed 28 September 2026.