A guide to DBS Checks in UK

What is a DBS Check?

DBS in UK is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Home Office.

Disclosure and Barring service also known as ‘‘DBS’’ carry out DBS checks in England, Wales, the Channel islands and the Isle of Man. A DBS check is a record of an individual’s criminal convictions and cautions. Similarly, ‘‘AccessNI’’ in Northern Ireland and ‘‘Disclosure Scotland’’ in Scotland is responsible for carrying out criminal record checks.

Types of DBS checks available from Disclosure and Barring Service:

Basic DBS

Basic DBS will only show criminal convictions that are not spent. You must be 16 years of age or over to apply. The official SLA for a Basic DBS is 14 days and costs £18.

Disclosure and Barring service also offers transgender applications if you are a transgender and do not want to reveal your previous identity to the prospective employer.

You can apply for a Basic DBS yourself. Check a DBS online using Complygate.

Standard DBS

Standard DBS will show both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings. The official SLA for a standard DBS is 14 days and costs £18.

Unlike Basic DBS you cannot apply for a standard DBS yourself, the hiring organisation can request a standard DBS via a Registered body or umbrella body like Complygate.

Enhanced DBS

Enhanced DBS will show both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings like standard DBS. However, it is suitable for people working with vulnerable adults and children. E.G. taxi drivers, school teachers, care workers or people working in the gambling commission.

The official SLA for an Enhanced DBS is 14 days and costs £38.

Like Standard DBS you cannot apply for an Enhanced DBS yourself, the hiring organisation can request an enhanced DBS via a Registered body or umbrella body like Complygate.

Adult First Check

DBS Adult First check is for individuals who provide care services for adults. This is a very specific check for carers and takes only 2 days and costs £6.

Adult first checks have been created to streamline the recruitment process for careers. They can be hired straight away once the Adult first check has been completed and the employer does not have to wait for the full enhanced disclosure.

What are Spent and unspent convictions?

Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, many criminal convictions or cautions become ‘spent’ after a specific length of time, which is known as the ‘rehabilitation period’. Once the rehabilitation period has been completed, criminal convictions or cautions will not show on a Basic DBS certificate.

Individuals do not need to tell anyone about a spent conviction unless they’re applying for a job where a Standard, Enhanced or Enhanced with Barred Lists DBS check is a pre-requisite.

What is ‘filtering’ in terms of DBS?

Filtering is the term that Disclosure and Barring service uses to describe the process that identifies which records will be disclosed on Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred Lists certificates. Certain minor (old offences) may not be disclosed, which is known as ‘protected offences.’

Serious violent or sexual nature known as ‘specified offences’ will always be disclosed on a Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred Lists certificates, except for youth caution.

Complygate is a registered body with DBS, AccessNI and Disclosure Scotland.