DBS FAQs

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Q 1. Is Eurocom CI part of the DBS?

No, Eurocom CI Ltd is an independent company and one of the registered bodies which can provide a criminal record checking service. We process basic checks, standard DBS checks, and enhanced criminal record checks for England and Wales under registered body reference: 30025000000. Eurocom CI Ltd is a responsible body for Scottish Basic Disclosures under reference: EUR1060802.

Q 2. What is the difference between a CRB and a DBS check?

DBS – the Disclosure and Barring Service – refers to the new agency created out of a merger between the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). The checks and information provided by DBS are the same as those that were provided by CRB. However, since the 1st December 2012, CRB checks have been re-branded as DBS checks.

Q 3. What documents do I need to process a BASIC Disclosure?

Before you commence your DBS application, please ensure you have the following:

  • Full address history for the last 5 years including dates (including any time spent overseas). Your current address must be in the UK;
  •  Any legal changes to surnames and forenames, including date of changes;
  • Original suitable proof of ID, ideally either a valid passport or a valid driving licence photocard showing your current name (and address when applicable). Alternatively, we can accept a UK birth certificate. This must display your current name and date of birth. If you are a non-UK/non-EEA national, you need to provide an immigration status document (Visa, Biometric Residence Permit, Home Office Letter). All information must be original document provided to your employer or orgaisation that has requested your check. ;
  • Original suitable proof of address (which displays your current name, address and a recent date of issue). For example: a bank statement/utility bill issued within 3 months, council tax/mortgage statement issued within 12 months. Alternatively, your valid UK driving licence photo card will be sufficient if this hasn’t already been used as proof of ID. All information must be originla documents provided to your employer.
Failure to provide any of the required information or ID documents to your employer will result in a cancellation of the application and will incur an administration charge of £12.00. Once you have made payment we will send you an email with login details where you can complete all your personal details onto our secure platform.  

Q 4. What do I need to process a STANDARD or ENHANCED Disclosure?

Before you commence your application for standard or enhanced criminal record checking, please ensure you have the following:

  • Employer’s full details including company name, address and contact details of your manager;
  • Full details of your employment that qualifies you for this level of check;
  • A suitable proof of ID for ID verification, either a valid passport or a valid UK driving licence photocard showing your current name (and address when applicable);
  • Suitable two proof of address documents that display your current name, address and a recent date of issue. For example: a bank statement/utility bill issued within 3 months, or a council tax/mortgage statement issued within 12 months. Alternatively, we can accept your valid UK driving licence photo card (as above) when a passport has been used as proof of ID. We cannot accept mobile phone bills;
  • Full address history for the last 5 years including dates (including any time spent overseas). Your current address must be in the UK;
  • Any legal changes to surnames and forenames, including date of changes.
Failure to provide any of the required information to your employer and incorrectly completed applications will result in a cancellation of the application and will incur an administration charge of £24.00. After making payment online we will send you login details for you to complete your personal information on our secure platform.

Q 5. How do I get my documents verified (Standard/Enhanced applications)?

IMPORTANT: You must have your ID documents correctly verified by a representative of the company/organisation that has requested your check (This cannot be a relative or someone in your household, even if they are your employer. It will need to be someone else from the organisation or the contractor of the services which requires the DBS check to be done). We require your documents to have been seen by this representative and they must complete the ID verification of the application with the login details that we will provide. We recommend that you first give your original ID documents photocopy your employer. They will be able to complete the ID verification section of your application with the instructions and login details that we will send them.

Q 6. Can I apply as an individual for a DBS check?

The DBS does not allow individuals to request a Standard or Enhanced Disclosure. However, individuals can apply for a Basic DBS check and certificate. You can only apply for an Enhanced or Standard DBS check if this has been requested by an organisation that is allowed to see your full criminal history as per ROA Exceptions Order 1975. When applying for an Enhanced or Standard DBS check, a representative of the organisation needs to verify your documents (see Q5). If you are self-employed or a contractor, this may be the school/care home who has asked you for the check. Even though they are not 'employing' you, they are employing your services. (The ID verifier cannot be a relative or someone in your household, even if they are your employer. It will need to be someone else from the organisation or the contractor of the services which requires the DBS check to be done) If you are unsure who your employer is, please give us a call to check so that you do not incur an admin fee deduction in case the application gets cancelled. If you are currently looking for work in a profession in which a Standard or Enhanced Disclosure check is required, then you cannot apply for a check until you have actually been offered a position with an employer.

Q 7. What is the exempted question?

Access to the DBS checking service is only available to registered employers who are entitled by law to ask an individual to reveal their full criminal history (other than protected cautions and convictions), including spent criminal convictions. This process is also known as ‘asking the exempted question’. An exempted question applies when the individual will be working in specific occupations, for certain licenses and specified positions. These are covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. The minimum age at which someone can be asked to apply for a criminal record check is 16 years old. To find out more information about who is eligible for a criminal record check, follow this link.

Q 8. How long does a Disclosure last?

There is no set time limit for how long a DBS lasts. Unless you have subscribed to the DBS’s update service, you may be asked to reapply for a DBS check by all future potential employers, even if you have previously held a DBS certificate. You may also be required to be rechecked periodically while working for just one employer. It is up to employers to decide how frequently they want their employees to be rechecked. You may wish to ask your employer the following questions when you are first requested to complete a criminal record check:

  • How long does a DBS last within your organisation?
  • When will I be expected to reapply for a DBS certificate?
  • Will I need a new DBS certificate if I progress into a different role during employment?

Q 9. What are the different levels of checks and how much is a DBS check?

There are a number of different levels; refer to Q10 to see which one you qualify for. Basic – Provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service, £39.40 Standard – Provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service, £51.80 Enhanced – Provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service, £69.80

Q 10. Who can apply for a DBS check?

A Basic Disclosure DBS certificate is open to everyone regardless of their occupation. Individuals can apply for it themselves, or employers can request a basic DBS check for a potential employee with their consent. Standard Disclosures can only be requested for those engaged in or entering a profession as specified in the Exceptions Order to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This check should NOT be requested just because it is the quickest. Examples of professions that may qualify for Standard Disclosures include:

  • Banking
  • Law
  • Accountancy
  • Certain administration/receptionist roles on medical premises
Enhanced DBS can only be requested for those engaged in or entering a profession as specified in the Exceptions Order to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Enhanced checks are required for volunteers and staff that usually work with children or vulnerable adults because they involve checks against ISA Barred Lists. Most work conducted on school premises requires an Enhanced Disclosure, as do a number of medical positions (such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists etc.) and a limited number of other professions. Each application form requires you to select a job title and provide an accurate job description from which we will determine your eligibility. This is also the case with regards to the ISA Barred Lists, which are also only available to certain positions. If you are not sure which disclosure level you are able to apply for you can contact us on 01372 886920 to discuss your requirements.

Q 11. How long will my check take?

Basic Disclosures via the Disclosure and Barring Service normally take around 5-10 working days after they have been submitted. Once complete, our system will send an email notification and the DBS certificate is sent by 2nd class post the same day. Standard Disclosures are completed by the Police and the DBS (who issue certificates directly to the applicant). Standard Disclosures are normally completed within 48 hrs after submitting to the DBS. Enhanced Disclosures are completed by the Police and the DBS, and they can take longer as the checks are more detailed. The average turnaround time is usually around 5-10 working days. A small number do take longer to complete stage 4, which is where the police conduct additional checks. Once complete, our system will send an email notification and the certificate will be sent by mail the same day. Please note that we cannot guarantee a turnaround time for any of the DBS checks, we rely on your employer to verify your ID documents before they are submitted to the DBS.

Q 12. Who will get a copy of my DBS certificate?

If the certificate was issued on or after June 17th, 2013, a copy of the certificate will only be sent to the person the check has been carried out on. This copy will be sent to the current address that was provided in the application.

Q 13. How do I get my documents to you?

Original documents, should be given to your employer for the ID verification process of your online application. Please do not send us original documents.

Q 14. What is meant by a child?

Section 60 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 defines a Child as “a person who has not attained the age of 18″.

Q 15. What is a vulnerable adult?

The term ‘vulnerable adult’ has been amended as it was felt to be inappropriate to label an adult as vulnerable solely due to their circumstances, age or disability. In general terms, an adult (a person aged 18 or over) is classed as vulnerable when they are receiving one of the following services:

  • Health care
  • Relevant personal care;
  • Social care work;
  • Assistance in relation to general household matters by reason of age, illness or disability;
  • Relevant assistance in the conduct of their own affairs; or
  • Conveying (due to age, illness or disability in prescribed circumstances)

Q 16. What is the DBS Update Service?

The DBS update service is a yearly subscription service provided directly by the DBS for applicants. Currently, the service costs £13 per applicant, per year (or free for volunteers). If the applicant is subscribed to the update service, their DBS certificate will be securely stored online. The applicant will then be able to check their certificate or present it to their employer at any time. The applicant can also register subsequent DBS certificate applications with the service. Please note that they must register for the update service at the time of their application. The DBS update service is fully portable and allows applicants to carry their certificate between different employments. However, this is providing that the new employment requires the same level of check. For example, if an applicant has a Basic DBS check and certificate, but they require a Standard DBS certificate for a new employer, they will have to make a new application for the higher disclosure level. The DBS update service also updates regularly, meaning that employers will only have to request a new DBS check to be undertaken if new information has arisen since the last DBS check, or if they require a different level of check. Ultimately, the issue date of a DBS certificate will no longer be relevant as long as the applicant has subscribed to the update service. For more information on this service please contact the DBS (details found on Q18).

Q 17.  I did not receive my Basic Disclosure/Standard or Enhanced DBS certificate, can I obtain a copy?

Yes, but the request for a copy of the DBS certificate must be made within 3 months of the date of issue. Please follow the link below to learn how to request a copy; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-certificate-reprint-guide/dbs-certificate-reprint-guide We do not receive copies of the DBS certificates and these must be requested directly from the DBS.  

Q 18. How do I contact the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)?

Email: customerservices@dbs.gsi.gov.uk Tel: 03000 200 190 Minicom: 03000 200 192