What is a DBS check in the UK?
Definition
A DBS check is a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service, used in England and Wales. Employers and voluntary organisations use it to check someone applying for a role. There are four levels, from basic to enhanced with barred lists.
- Category
- Identity
- Also called
- Disclosure and Barring Service check, criminal record check UK
- Last updated
DBS stands for the Disclosure and Barring Service, the UK body that runs criminal record checks for England and Wales. GOV.UK says employers and voluntary organisations, or third parties acting for them, can get a DBS check on someone applying for a role. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate rules.
The four types of check
According to GOV.UK:
- Basic: shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions.
- Standard: shows spent and unspent convictions and cautions.
- Enhanced: shows the same as a standard check plus any information held by local police that is considered relevant to the role.
- Enhanced with barred lists: shows the same as enhanced plus whether the applicant is on the list of people barred from doing the role.
The level a role can ask for depends on the work, for example healthcare or childcare. An employer cannot simply pick the deepest check for any job.
Why it matters for privacy
A DBS certificate holds sensitive personal information, and you are usually the one handing it over. GOV.UK says employers who carry out criminal records checks must have a policy on employing ex-offenders and show it to any applicant who asks.
It is also worth knowing who is asking. Scam messages sometimes pose as a background check to get your identity documents. Only use the official service on GOV.UK and apply through the organisation that asked you to.
How to protect yourself
- 1
Apply only through the official route
Use the link the employer gives you and check that the address is a gov.uk page before you enter personal details.
- 2
Share ID documents only with the organisation asking
Do not send passport or licence scans to anyone who contacts you out of the blue about a background check.
- 3
Keep your certificate safe
Treat it like other identity paperwork and keep it off social media.
See where your personal data is exposed
Serus finds it on data brokers and people-search sites and removes it.
Frequently asked
What does a DBS check show?
It depends on the level. A basic check shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions. Standard and enhanced checks show more, and enhanced adds relevant local police information.
Who can ask for a DBS check?
GOV.UK says employers, voluntary organisations and third-party organisations acting for them. The role has to be one that can lawfully ask for the level requested.
Does a DBS check work in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
GOV.UK says there are different rules for criminal record checks in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Sources
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