Polygraph examinations
Whatever it is, it can be settled.
Most people who call us have been going round the same argument for weeks. An examination gives you what the argument cannot: an independent, documented answer to a question you both agreed on beforehand. Each format below is a different question rather than a different product — Lie Detector UK charges the same for all of them.
What we examine
Six reasons people book, and what each involves
Every examination is built around your situation. If yours is not listed here, it does not mean we cannot help — call and describe it.
Infidelity
Specific-issue testing on suspected physical or emotional involvement with someone else.
How this examination works
False accusation
For people who need a documented, independent examination to answer an allegation.
How this examination works
Theft
Workplace and domestic theft, tested individually rather than by group suspicion.
How this examination works
Dispute resolution
Family and civil disputes where two accounts cannot both be true.
How this examination works
Addiction
Abstinence monitoring, usually as part of an agreement between family members.
How this examination works
Employee screening
Pre-employment and integrity testing for security-sensitive roles.
How this examination works
Understanding lie detector services
What a real examination involves, and how to tell one from the things sold as lie detection.
How this examination worksWhat actually happens
Four stages, and you control every one
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01
A call before you commit
You speak to an examiner, not a call centre. They will tell you honestly whether a polygraph suits your situation — sometimes it does not, and we would rather say so than take the booking.
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02
The questions are agreed with you
You see every relevant question in advance and approve the wording. There are no surprise questions and no trick ones. Each examination is limited to three relevant questions, because fewer questions is what keeps a result clear.
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03
The examination itself
Around two hours at a private office. Most of that is the pre-test interview; the instrument is attached for a fraction of it. You can stop at any point.
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04
A written report
Scored by the examiner and sent within 24 to 48 hours, in writing, to the person who booked. It states what the charts showed — including when that is not what you hoped for.
Straight answers
The questions people are too polite to ask on the phone
Is it admissible in a UK court?
Generally, no. Polygraph evidence is not routinely admitted in UK civil or criminal proceedings. It is used to settle matters privately — between partners, within families, inside a business, or as part of a supervision programme. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
Will being nervous make me fail?
No. Everyone who sits an examination is nervous, and the scoring accounts for it: the comparison is against your own responses, not against a calm stranger. Nerves are the baseline, not the signal.
Can I be made to take one?
No. Consent is required and can be withdrawn at any point, including after the instrument is attached. If someone is pressuring you into an examination, say so when you call and we will talk it through with you.
What if the result goes against me?
You still receive the report, and it still says what the charts showed. Examiners are independent and are not paid for a particular outcome — that independence is the only thing that makes a favourable result worth anything.
Our examiners
Eight examiners. Every one of them vetted, accredited and named.
Accreditation is the only thing standing between a real examination and an expensive guess. Here is what ours actually holds — ask any provider for the same.
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400+Hours of full-time training at an approved school
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30 CEUContinuing education every two years to stay certified
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5,000+Private examinations conducted, per examiner
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APA / BPSActive membership of the recognised professional bodies
Our examiners are registered with the British Polygraph Society and the American Polygraph Association. Both keep public registers you can check yourself.
Fixed pricing
One price, published. No hidden extras.
England & Wales · Scotland £695
- Single examinee
- Up to 3 relevant questions
- Written report included
Two people tested · Scotland £850
- Two separate examinations
- Same appointment, same office
- Two written reports
Per examination
- Workplace investigations
- Our office or your premises
- Report per examinee
All prices include the pre-test consultation, the examination and a written report. A £150 non-refundable deposit secures the booking; the balance falls due 48 hours before the appointment.
Common questions
The questions people actually ask us
How accurate is a lie detector test?
A validated technique, run properly by an accredited examiner, sits at 95–98%. Anyone quoting 100% is selling you something else.
Does being nervous affect the result?
No. Nervousness is expected and shows up on every chart. The analysis compares your responses against each other, not against a calm stranger.
What questions will be asked?
Up to three relevant questions, agreed with you in the pre-test consultation. Nothing is asked on the day that you have not already seen.
Can I refuse to take the test?
Yes, at any point, including once you are in the room. An examination in the UK cannot proceed without your written consent.
How long does the test take?
Around two hours in total. Most of that is the consultation and question review; the instrument phase is the shortest part.
Can I attend someone else’s test?
No — a third party in the room invalidates the examination. You are welcome to wait in reception and to see the written report if the examinee consents.
Do you offer home or on-site tests?
Tests are normally conducted at our private office in the UK, where the environment can be controlled. Alternative locations may be possible subject to pre-approval.
Do you test under 18s?
Only in limited circumstances, with the written consent of a parent or guardian, and at the examiner’s discretion. Please call to discuss before booking.
Do medications affect the results?
Tell your examiner what you take. Most prescriptions are fine; a few are not, and your examiner will say so before you pay the balance.
Can the test be cheated?
Countermeasures are what examiners are trained to spot. Attempting them typically produces an inconclusive result, not a pass.
How much does a lie detector test cost in the UK?
£495 all inclusive for one person and £695 for a couple, covering the consultation, the examination and a written report. A £150 deposit reserves the appointment.
