Did you know UK civil servants are subject to a criminal check by the DBS? DBS checks are statutory background checks carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service.
In the UK, statutory checks are necessary for any role which involves a level of engagement with the public or work of an advisory nature. The closer and more unsupervised your interactions with the public, the stronger the level of DBS check required.
As a civil servant your direct work with the public will be limited so you can expect to undergo a basic DBS check.
What is a basic DBS check?
A basic DBS check for a civil servant will require a search for any unspent criminal convictions or conditional cautions - spent convictions will not be included. However, some roles within the civil service do require a search of the Police National Computer (PNC) so it is worth checking the job specifications carefully before you apply.
DBS checks of this type came into force in 1974 under the 1974 Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. The act sets out all the roles that must undertake a CRB check and the type of DBS check necessary for each job.
The purpose of the act is to ensure the public are properly safeguarded, particularly children and vulnerable adults.
There are four types of DBS check in operation in the UK. A basic DBS check for a civil servant is a first-tier check. A variety of DBS checks are necessary to ensure the most vulnerable members of our society remain safe.
We provide a range of support services to enable individuals and organisations to complete basic DBS checks online with ease. Visit our home page now or call one of our friendly experts today on 0333 030 0446 to find out more.
