DBS Checks

DBS checks for safer recruitment and safeguarding

A Disclosure and Barring Service check helps an employer or organisation make a safer decision about a person who may work with children, adults at risk, money, confidential information or other positions of trust. UKPI handles DBS applications for eligible organisations and individuals, checks the information supplied and explains which disclosure level is lawful for the role.

UKPI has completed more than 10,000 background checks and works with clients in the UK and across more than 40 countries. Applications can be processed through UKPI’s authorised arrangements or through an approved partner, depending on the type of application.

Basic, Standard and Enhanced DBS checks

Basic DBS checks

A Basic DBS certificate shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions, subject to the rules in force at the time. An individual can apply for their own Basic check. An employer may also request one where it is relevant and the applicant agrees.

Standard DBS checks

A Standard check can include spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, subject to statutory filtering. It is available only for roles covered by the relevant legislation. It cannot be requested simply because an employer would prefer more information.

Enhanced DBS checks

An Enhanced check is reserved for eligible roles, including many positions involving children or adults at risk. Depending on the role, it may include a check of the children’s or adults’ barred list. Eligibility must be established before the application begins.

Who uses this service

DBS applications are commonly needed by care providers, schools, charities, health services, transport providers and employers recruiting for regulated or sensitive work. Families may also need help checking a nanny, carer or other person who will have close access to the home. The route depends on the role, not only on the client’s preference.

If a formal DBS application is not available for the situation, UKPI can explain which parts of a wider background check may still be lawful and useful. That may include identity, employment history, references, qualifications and permitted public-record research.

How the DBS application works

1. Confirm the role and eligibility. We establish who is requesting the check, why it is needed and whether Basic, Standard or Enhanced disclosure is permitted.
2. Check identity and application details. The applicant supplies the required identity evidence and confirms the information used for the application.
3. Obtain permission. The applicant knows about the application and provides the authority required for the selected route.
4. Submit through the correct channel. UKPI uses the official DBS process and an authorised route appropriate to the application.
5. Explain the result. We help the client understand the certificate, its limits and any next step that can lawfully be taken.

Timescales

Routine background checks are often returned within 24 hours once the correct information and permission are in place. A DBS certificate is issued through an external official process, so its timing cannot be guaranteed. Standard and Enhanced applications can take longer where police forces or other authorities need more time. Overseas checks also depend on the records and procedures available in each country.

UKPI confirms the likely timing before the application is submitted and will tell you if the scope changes.

What a DBS certificate does and does not show

A certificate reports information allowed for its disclosure level. Basic checks do not show spent convictions. Standard and Enhanced checks may include spent and unspent information, but statutory filtering rules still apply. An Enhanced certificate does not mean every allegation or every item held by the police will be disclosed.

A DBS certificate is one part of a sound recruitment or safeguarding decision. It does not confirm identity on its own, prove that every claim on a CV is true or predict future behaviour. Employers should use it alongside references, identity checks, employment history and the requirements of the role.

DBS checks and criminal-record research

The criminal-record checks page explains the wider legal limits around conviction information and public-record research. A DBS application is the official disclosure route. UKPI does not claim private access to police systems and will not obtain protected information without the authority required by law.

Request a DBS check

Tell UKPI who needs to be checked, the role involved and the reason for the application. We will confirm the permitted disclosure level, the identity documents needed, the fee and the expected timing before you proceed.