Civil Service · NHS · councils · schools · universities

Will your statement pass the sift?

Paste your behaviour example, personal statement or supporting statement. In about 30 seconds you see the score a panel would likely give, every criterion you've evidenced or missed, and the fixes that matter most.

We never write it for you. Feedback only, so the words stay yours and inside employers' AI rules.

1 free check a day with a free account, no card.

Likely score
3–4
out of 7
Borderline

Delivering at Pace · EO. A clear example, but the panel can't see what you did yourself, and the result has no number.

We worked hard as a team to clear the backlog before the deadline, and it went really well.
“We” not “I”: panels score your actions, not the team's. Which steps did you take yourself?
  • ✓Follow relevant policies and procedures
  • ◐Review the success of activities in the team
  • ✕Support colleagues where tasks are challenging

How it works

1

Paste your statement

Pick the type: a Civil Service behaviour (and your grade), a personal statement, NHS supporting information or any supporting statement. Add the advert or person specification.

2

See it as the panel will

A likely score on the Civil Service 1-7 scale, or each person-spec criterion marked evidenced, weak or missing, with the sentence that counts.

3

Fix it in your own words

The three fixes that would raise the score most, as questions only you can answer. Revise, re-check, and see what changed.

What's in a report

A score range, not false precision

The likely score on the 1-7 scale panels use, as a range (e.g. 4-5), because panel members differ. Marked against the usual pass mark of 4.

Your grade's descriptors

Behaviour examples are checked against the published Success Profiles descriptors for the grade you're applying for, from AA to Grade 6.

Person-spec coverage map

Every essential and desirable criterion: evidenced with your own sentence, weak, or missing. A missing essential criterion often scores zero.

STAR, “I vs we”, impact

Is there a Situation, Task, Action and Result? How much is “we”? Are there numbers a panel can score? Word count against the limit.

Fixes as questions

“What changed because of you, in numbers?” We point at what to change and why. We never suggest wording or write for you.

Before and after

Re-check a revised version and see the score, criteria, STAR parts and your edits side by side. Share a report with a mentor.

Why we refuse to write statements: employers' AI rules, and what they allow.

Pricing

Check free. Pay once when it matters.

Less than an hour of coaching, for every application you send this month. No subscription, nothing renews.

Free

See where you stand

£0
Free account, no card
  • 1 check a day with a free account
  • Likely score range
  • Your biggest fix
  • Word count against the limit
Check free

One application

For one job: up to 6 behaviours and a statement

£5for 48 hours
VAT included, one payment
  • Full reports for 48 hours
  • Re-check as you revise
  • Every fix, the coverage map, STAR check
Get One application
Most popular

Application Pass

30 days for all your applications

£9for 30 days
VAT included, one payment
  • Unlimited checks for 30 days (fair use)
  • Full breakdown: every criterion, STAR, I vs we, impact
  • Before/after when you re-check
  • Share a report with a mentor
Get Application Pass

90-day Pass

For a long job hunt or a promotion round

£19for 90 days
VAT included, one payment
  • Everything in the Application Pass
  • 3 months for about the price of 2
Get 90-day Pass

Prices in pounds, VAT included. A pass also unlocks the full report of every check you've already run.

Not helpful? Get your money back. If the pass doesn't help your application, email us within 14 days of buying and we'll refund you in full. No questions asked.

Free guides

Questions

Will you write or improve my statement for me?

No, never. We score your statement and tell you what a panel would credit, what is missing and which questions to answer. You write every word. The Civil Service allows candidates to use AI to check answers and recommend improvements, but not to create responses or inflate skills. Feedback-only keeps you on the right side of those rules.

Is this connected to the Civil Service or the NHS?

No. Pass the Sift is independent and not affiliated with the Civil Service, the NHS or any employer. The scores are estimates based on the published criteria, not sift decisions.

How is a Civil Service behaviour statement scored?

Panels score each behaviour on a 1-7 scale (1 not demonstrated, 4 acceptable, 7 outstanding) against the Success Profiles descriptors for the grade. Most campaigns need at least 4 in every behaviour. We show a likely range on the same scale, the descriptors you have and haven't evidenced, and the STAR parts.

How are NHS and other supporting statements shortlisted?

Shortlisters work through the person specification and mark each criterion. An essential criterion with no evidence usually scores zero and can rule you out. We check every criterion you paste and mark it evidenced (with your sentence), weak or missing.

How accurate is the score?

It is an estimate. No employer publishes scored statements, so we built the scorer from the published descriptors and scale and tested it on statements written to known levels and with known flaws (see How scoring works). That's why we show a range. If you tell us your real sift score after applying, it helps us make the estimates better.

What does the free check include?

One check a day with a free account (just your email): the likely score range (or how many essential criteria you've evidenced), your single biggest fix and your word count against the limit. A pass unlocks the full report.

What do the passes cost?

£5 for 48 hours (one application), £9 for 30 days or £19 for 90 days, VAT included. One payment, no subscription, nothing renews. A pass unlocks every report, including checks you ran before buying.

Can I get a refund?

Yes. If the pass doesn't help, email us within 14 days of buying and we'll refund you in full, no questions asked.

What happens to my statement and my email?

It's used only to produce your report. Statements and reports are deleted automatically after 30 days, or straight away when you delete them. They are never used to train AI models. The AI provider (Anthropic) processes the text for us under a no-training agreement. We may email you occasional tips and news; every email has an unsubscribe link.

Can you help with visas or right-to-work questions?

No. We don't give immigration, visa or sponsorship advice. Check the employer's advert and GOV.UK for eligibility.

Check it before the panel does.

1 free check a day with a free account, no card. Feedback only: the words stay yours.

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