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Volunteers often wonder if they need a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, given that they are not being paid for any work which they do. A DBS check helps employers make safer recruitment decisions by preventing unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups such as children and those with disabilities. DBS checks replaced the former Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks, but you’ll still see both terms used.

Unison, one of the main trade unions with members in the healthcare sector, has raised concerns about a "lottery" faced by nurses and other public sector workers regarding who foots the bill for essential criminal record checks. Most workers in the healthcare sector will require enhanced DBS checks before starting work.

Tinder, the hugely successful dating app which launched in 2012, has shelved plans for introducing criminal records checks as a way of helping users choose their matches more carefully. Tinder's owners reportedly considered displaying a badge on users' profiles to indicate they had clean criminal records, thinking it would be a way of guaranteeing that people whose profiles were accredited were good and trustworthy.

One recent change in the rented sector shows a change in these requirements for criminal records checking, as Cornwall Council has announced that it is considering introducing criminal record checks for anyone applying to operate HMOs – houses of multiple occupation - as part of an extensive crackdown on housing conditions.

A recent survey by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), shows that many employers have concerns about the potential for re-offending among candidates with criminal records. The study showed that as many as 60% of employers had concerns that employees who had been in trouble with the police may re-offend, and 66% of employers expressed worries regarding the safety of their existing staff members.

Whatever the level of your DBS check, a key part of the process is establishing your identity so that your employer knows that they are dealing with the correct person. There is a range of ways for doing this, and for many people the easiest option is going along to their local Post Office to make use of their identity checking service.

We all know that recent years have been tough for businesses in all sectors, and there is rising concern that some organisations may be tempted to cut corners – and costs - by neglecting Disclosure and Barring Service checks, or DBS checks. These are the criminal records checks on employees which were previously known as CRB checks.

Efforts to secure a spot on Winter Love Island were thwarted for convicted criminals after show producers enhanced background checks with the government's Disclosure & Barring Service. Asking all potential contestants to have a DBS check should flag up anyone with a serious criminal history, and whose presence in the house could bring the show into disrepute.

New regulations surrounding criminal background checks for MOT testers and those running garages came into force at the end of March 2024, and industry research in January 2024 showed that nearly 75% of MOT testers had yet to undergo their annual skills assessment.

If the sector in which you work is one where DBS checks are a standard part of recruitment, then you might be faced with applying for multiple DBS checks over the course of just a few months. It’s hardly surprising therefore that many workers ask about whether they can take a DBS certificate obtained for one job and use it for another position.