Do you have a recent DBS check?

What is a DBS check and why should I have one?

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is an agency of the Home Office which provides a service for public, private and voluntary sector organisations to make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable for certain work, especially that which involves children or vulnerable adults.

This service for providing information about a candidate is known as a DBS check and the candidate receives a DBS certificate.

There are two levels of DBS check that apply to those applying for work through The Graham Agency:

Standard DBS check – which reveals details of any convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings held on the Police National Computer.

Enhanced DBS check – as its name implies goes further than a standard DBS check, and is applicable for candidates working, for example, with children.  It involves checking with local police forces.

A DBS certificate does not have an expiry date; it shows the information that the police, or the DBS if applicable, hold on the candidate at the time that the check is made.  For this reason, we ask that the DBS certificate be no more than 12 months’ old.

How can I get a DBS check?

The Graham Agency can arrange a DBS check for you.  We will advise you on whether you need a standard DBS check or an enhanced DBS check.

The costs are:

Standard DBS check    £39.39
Enhanced DBS check    £58.39

If you accept a job through The Graham Agency, we will reimburse you the cost of the DBS check.  We take payment by cheque, debit or credit card.

Important 

The DBS check belongs to you and the certificate is posted directly to you, so whether you apply for and accept a job through us or through other avenues, you will have the DBS certificate.

If you apply for a job through us and do not have a valid DBS certificate, we will advise you on what information we will need and what documents you will need to provide us for the DBS application.

DBS Update Service

Individuals can now join the DBS Update Service putting them in greater control of their information; allowing them to reuse their DBS certificates when applying for similar jobs.

This will reduce bureaucracy and save them time and money.  If an individual subscribes to the Update Service their employer can go online with their consent, and carry out a free, instant check to find out if the information released on the DBS certificate is current and up-to-date.

What documents do I require for a DBS check?

The person going through a DBS check (the applicant) must give their employer original documents (not copies) to prove their identity.

The documents needed will depend on the route the application takes. The applicant must try to provide documents from Route 1 first.

Route 1

The applicant must be able to show:

• one document from Group 1, below
• 2 further documents from either Group 1, or Group 2a or 2b, below

At least one of the documents must show the applicant’s current address.

Route 2

If the applicant doesn’t have any of the documents in Group 1, then they must be able to show:

• one document from Group 2a
• 2 further documents from either Group 2a or 2b

At least one of the documents must show the applicant’s current address. The organisation conducting their ID check must then also use an appropriate external ID validation service to check the application.

Route 3

Route 3 can only be used if it’s impossible to process the application through Routes 1 or 2.

For Route 3, the applicant must be able to show:

• a birth certificate issued after the time of birth (UK and Channel Islands)
• one document from Group 2a
• 3 further documents from Group 2a or 2b

At least one of the documents must show the applicant’s current address. If the applicant can’t provide these documents they may need to be fingerprinted.

Group 1: Primary identity documents

Group 2a: Trusted government documents

Group 2b: Financial and social history documents

The latest list of acceptable documents may be found at
https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check/documents-the-applicant-must-provide-.