Ultimate Guide: Tips for Completing your DBS Application Form
We’ve compiled this guide full of useful tips to use when completing your DBS (CRB) application form. These will help you avoid making errors which can cause delays in receiving your DBS (CRB) certificate.
We recommend that you read these tips carefully before completing your DBS (CRB) Check. Click on a title to be taken directly to a section, or, continue scrolling to read-on.
Contents
Common Errors on Applications
We have to enter your basic name information to be able to set up your DBS application. Please ensure that these fields contain the correct information exactly as it is found on your I.D. documents.
For example, if your first name is Johnathan but the first name field on your application says ‘John’, please contact Personnel Checks directly and ask for this to be changed in order to avoid delays to your application.If incorrect information is submitted on your application, you will need to complete the application form again and you will be charged accordingly.
If you haven’t changed your name since birth, you don’t need to fill in the ‘Other Names' section.
If you have changed your name since birth, please ensure you fill in the ‘From’ and 'To' dates. For example, if you changed your surname for marriage, please give your maiden name followed by the year you changed your surname.You cannot type your date of birth (DOB) . You will select this via the drop down menus when you make your account. Should this need amending please contact Personnel Checks.
If you have a middle name, please ensure this is inputted in the ‘Main Details’ section. If you don’t have a middle name you can leave this blank
You must ensure you tick all boxes in the ‘Consent’ section.
When you are sure that you’ve done all the above correctly, select ‘Submit’.
How To Avoid Delays When Completing An Application
In the rest of this article, we’ll be looking at specific areas where errors are commonly made. Familiarising yourself with the tips below will help ensure a smooth application process.
Addresses
Please ensure that you complete the year moved into your current address and also any previous addresses.
You must provide a continuous 5-year address history even if you have lived outside of the UK and include the month and year moved into each address.
Address on an Application Form - 'No Fixed Abode'
If you have no fixed abode or have had a period with no fixed abode throughout your address history within the last 5 years, please fill out the ‘Addresses’ section with the dates that you had no fixed abode and type “NO FIXED ABODE” into the required fields (i.e. street name, postcode etc).
Address on an Application Form - University Students
We understand it is common for people to live on campus or in student accommodation during term time and reside with their parents (or a similar permanent home address) in the period between academic years. This can cause confusion when completing the current and previous address fields on the application form.
Parents address If the ‘current address’ is the applicant’s parents’ address (or similar permanent home address), the date the applicant has been “at address since” should be the month and full year they originally moved into that address.
If the applicant has lived at this address for at least five years, the applicant must still provide details of all student addresses they have lived at during the last five years in ‘other addresses’, so that we have a full address history for that period.
As it is likely that there will be gaps between student addresses and between academic years, we will use the applicant’s parents’ address (or the similar permanent address supplied) to fill in the gaps.
If the applicant moved into their parents’ address less than five years ago, the ‘other addresses’ section must include any previous permanent homes where the applicant has lived outside term-time during the last five years.
Student Address If the applicant prefers that their ‘current address’ refers to their student address, their parents’ address (or similar permanent address) must be provided in ‘other addresses’. The full address details of the halls of residence or other student accommodation lived at in the last five years must be recorded.
If the applicant is still living at their most recent student address, the ‘dates from and to’ fields must be completed, but the ‘date to’ will be the month and year in which the applicant completes the application form. This field must not be left blank or the application will be delayed.
Similarly, if the applicant’s parents’ address (or similar permanent address) where the applicant resides outside term-time has been provided in “other addresses”, the ‘date to’ will be the month and year that the applicant was last residing at this address.
The words ‘current’, ‘still there’, present’ or any similar phrases must not be recorded in any of the fields or anywhere else on the application form.
Address on an Application Form - Unusual Address
We do not need the details of addresses other than an applicant’s permanent residence, even if at any time in the last five years they have been required to spend a day or two away from their permanent address due to their work. In these situations, we do not need the details of hotels or similar types of residence they stayed in.
If the nature of their work, for example, a travelling salesman; locum; supply teacher; pastor; or speaker means that they are frequently spending one or two days in different places away from their permanent address, we do not require the details of each place they visited.
We do need you to provide the applicant’s alternative address details as well as the details of their permanent address if;
The applicant spends months at a time living at an alternative address that is not their permanent home address, we require the details of this residence and the dates between which they were living at the alternative address to be entered in the ”other addresses” section of the application form.
The applicant’s work requires them to reside somewhere other than their home address during the week but they return to their permanent residence at weekends.
How we need you to complete the formEnsure the applicant has provided details of their permanent home address but complete the “other addresses” section to notify us of other addresses they use on a frequent basis.
We require the month and year at which they first started to reside at that address and the month and year in which they last stayed at that address.
The dates ‘from and to’ must be completed, so if the applicant continues to use this alternative address at the time of their application, please provide the current month and full year as the ‘date to’.
Proof of Identity
Basic Applications
As part of your Basic DBS application, you must have 2 ID documents verified. Please choose 2 ID documents from this list - List of Valid ID Documents. If you are using online ID verification with Personnel Checks, you will only need 1 document from Group 1 and this will be completed before you start your DBS application.
Standard, Enhanced or Volunteer Applications
As part of a Standard, Enhanced or Volunteer DBS application, you must have 3 ID documents verified. Please choose 3 ID documents from this list -List of Valid ID Documents. These will then be verified by the nominated ID verifier for the organisation conducting your check. If you are using online ID verification with Personnel Checks, you will need your passport and driving licence and this process will be completed before you start your DBS application.
For more information about anything in this article, or, how our background screening solutions can help you, get in touch! You can give us a call on 01254 355688 or drop us an email at letstalk@personnelchecks.co.uk