DBS Check (Disclosure and Barring Service)
A DBS check is a background check on an individual's criminal record history carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service. Standard checks reveal spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and warnings; enhanced checks also include relevant information held by local police. Enhanced checks with a barred list check are required for roles working in regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults. Employers in certain sectors are legally required to conduct DBS checks before making appointments.
There are three levels of DBS check: basic (unspent convictions only, available to any employer), standard (spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings), and enhanced (standard plus relevant local police information). Enhanced checks with a children's or adults' barred list check are required before anyone takes up regulated activity — defined as unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults in specified settings. It is a criminal offence for a barred individual to work in regulated activity or for an employer to knowingly employ them. From 2025, the DBS Update Service allows employers to check a certificate is still current for a £16 annual subscription. Registered bodies (not individuals) apply for standard and enhanced checks; basic checks can be applied for directly on the DBS website.