Glossary · UK
What is DBS Check?
A criminal record check carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service, commonly required before starting certain jobs, particularly those involving children or vulnerable adults.
Full Definition
A DBS check is a background check carried out through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in England and Wales (equivalent services -- Disclosure Scotland and AccessNI -- operate in Scotland and Northern Ireland) that reveals some or all of a person's criminal record, depending on the level of check requested. There are three main levels: a Basic check, available to anyone and showing only unspent convictions and cautions; a Standard check, available for certain roles and showing both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings; and an Enhanced check, required for roles involving significant contact with children or vulnerable adults, which additionally includes relevant local police information and, where applicable, a check against the DBS barred lists of people prohibited from working in regulated activity with those groups. Employers cannot request a Standard or Enhanced check for just any role -- these levels are restricted by law to jobs specified as eligible, such as those in healthcare, education, social care, and certain financial or security-sensitive positions, while a Basic check can be requested for, or by, anyone for any purpose including personal use. Applicants can sign up to the DBS Update Service for a small annual fee, which allows an existing Standard or Enhanced certificate to be reused for a new employer's check (subject to that employer's own risk assessment) rather than needing an entirely new application each time.