Uncertainty about the general election and slower economic growth in the first quarter have prompted an increase in mistakes and lies on job applications, according to a survey by employment screening solutions firm HireRight, reports The Telegraph.

Almost two-thirds (63%) of job applications contained incorrect information in Q1 2015, a level not seen since 2011 and an increase compared with 56% across 2014 as a whole.

Steve Girdler, Managing Director EMEA of HireRight, commented: “With slower growth forecast in 2015 than last year, and the uncertainty a general election can create in the market, it is unsurprising that we have seen an increase in errors or exaggerations.”

Four-in-10 applications contain inaccurate statements about the candidate's educational background, while 36% lie about the jobseeker’s employment history, and 30% make false claims about professional qualifications.

A quarter of applications include incorrect information about previous directorships, an increase of 35% on the same period last year, and yet the number of background checks in this area is falling. In 2014, almost a fifth of applications lied about directorships, up from 16% the year before.

CIFAS, the fraud prevention service, prosecuted 324 people in 2013 for submitting fraudulent job applications – a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison – an increase of 58% compared with the previous year.

HireRight’s quarterly report conducted more than 100,000 checks of 26,000 job applications.