Blog

Pre-pandemic, turnaround times at the DBS checks were improving. The stories of lengthy waits and people losing out on jobs because of their certificates being stuck in the system appeared to be a thing of the past. However, the latest figures appear to show that delays are again becoming commonplace, and the blame is being placed at the door of homeworking.

Since the Spring of 2021, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has been working closely with its partner bodies of AccessNI and Disclosure Scotland, and campaigning organisation JobsAware to raise awareness of scams operating in the jobs market.

A combination of the Covid-19 pandemic putting the brakes on driving tests, and the UK’s withdrawal from the EU at the end of 2020 has led to a huge shortage of qualified Heavy Goods Vehicle – or HGV – drivers. The shortage is the reason for gaps on supermarket shelves and why some big restaurant chains such as Nando’s and McDonald’s have had to close branches.

Wigan Council has become the first local authority in the UK to demand private hire and hackney cab drivers in their area sign up for a DBS Update account. If drivers refuse, they are to be suspended until their registration is complete. Drivers have until 1 December 2021 to register for the DBS Update system.

Safeguarding is a word you see used all the time, but do we really understand what it means? Safeguarding in a DBS context is about taking steps to protect the well-being, health and rights of children and vulnerable adults. Organisations which come into contact with vulnerable adults should therefore have in place safeguarding policies to ensure that members of staff know what they should be doing in terms of protection.

Although recruiting staff from overseas has become trickier after Brexit, there are still many industries which depend on a steady stream of skilled workers from overseas. If you are involved in employing staff overseas to come to the UK and work in a role which requires a DBS check, then it’s essential that you understand the process as it applies to applicants from overseas.

Gone are the days when people worked for their whole career with the same employer. Switching jobs frequently is now common, and one of the most commonly asked questions of DBS staff is whether one DBS certificate can be used for a succession of jobs.

Despite the UK having left the EU at the end of 2020, we are still sticking to many of the GDPR rules which cover data protection across Europe. Data protection laws are strict in terms of criminal records, so whether you’re a business owner or a DBS applicant, it’s important to understand what you need to do in terms of confidentiality.

One of the most common queries handled by companies involved in organising DBS checks for staff is what to do when someone loses their DBS certificate copy. In many other cases, getting a copy of a certificate just means writing to the awarding body, and potentially paying the cost for a replacement. DBS certificates are a different matter though and getting a replacement certificate is far trickier.

In terms of DBS checks, “child” is defined as anyone under the age of 18. There are many young people under the age of 18 working part time while at school, or undertaking work experience in a range of settings, but what are the rules for adults whose job it is to supervise them?