More than two million UK employees have missed out on a job because their former employer has failed to provide them with a reference.

More than a third of employees have had to chase their former employer at least once for a reference and 1.2 million claim they have had to ask them four times or more, according to risk consultancy firm Kroll.

Tony Shepherd, business development director of the background screening division of Kroll, said: "HR departments can be frenetic places and it is perhaps unsurprising the administration of providing employee references can take a back seat to other priorities."

As a result, Kroll is launching a National Screening Register where all data from past employees can be stored so it can be quickly provided electronically to prospective employers.