The 3 Biggest Misconceptions about DBS Checks

You Can Choose Which Level Of DBS Check You Want To Conduct 

This is something our team comes across all the time.  

The conversation tends to go something like this: 

“Hi, I’d like some help getting DBS Checks on all my staff” 

“No problem, what sort of work will they be doing?” 

“Well, we’ve had some security breaches around the office so we decided we’d get Enhanced DBS Checks for all our staff” 

“We can certainly see if that’s an option, but first, let me explain a little more about the types of DBS Check...” 

Basically, the level of DBS Check isn’t something you can choose, it's something a job role is ‘eligible’ for. Certain roles are eligible for certain levels of DBS Check.  

There are three levels of DBS Check: Basic, Standard and Enhanced. Each of these checks reveals slightly more information than the last.  

Basic DBS Checks are available for everyone, as there are no ‘eligibility criteria’ that need to be met. Standard and Enhanced DBS Checks are reserved for roles that meet specific eligibility criteria.  

For example, some of the common criteria met for the Enhanced DBS Check are: 

• Providing frontline healthcare treatment 

• Teaching, training, or supervising children 

• Driving or transporting vulnerable adults or children on a regular basis 

Any job role that didn’t meet the eligibility criteria stated in Disclosure and Barring Service’s (DBS) eligibility guidance, couldn’t have an Enhanced DBS Check*. 

The same rules apply for the Standard DBS Check but with slightly different criteria.  

This is why our team often have to go into great detail about what a job role will involve before they can confirm what level of DBS Check you require. They’re not just being nosy! 

You can speed up a DBS Check by paying more

We’ve written about this on several occasions in the past. Be aware that there is absolutely no way to fast-track a DBS Check. Not even a little bit!

There are several organisations offering umbrella services for DBS Checks which offer a ‘fast-track’ option for any DBS Checks they submit. This service is usually charged at a significantly higher price.

What these companies offering a ‘fast-track’ service are actually doing is offering to countersign and submit your DBS applications on the day that the ID verification is completed. This is something that Personnel Checks do as standard and is something any DBS Umbrella Body worth their salt should be doing anyway.

The extra money that businesses end up paying does not influence the turnaround time of the DBS Check in any way. Our team have had had to break this news to many unfortunate people in the past who have ultimately been conned.

Every DBS application that is submitted to the DBS is subject to the exact same process (dependent on the level of check). For Standard and Enhanced DBS Checks, the DBS state:

It usually takes around 14 days but it can take longer if:

• the details given for the check are incorrect

• several police forces need to be involved in the check

You cannot pay more to get a faster check.

For Basic DBS Checks they state:

Most basic checks will be processed within 14 days.

However, in our experience, the vast majority of Basic DBS Checks are completed in less than 7 days.

DBS Checks Prevent Crimes from Happening 

DBS Checks are just one of many safeguarding tools available to employers. They should not be treated as a complete risk-prevention solution.  

But DBS Checks are often still held up as some kind of safeguarding cure-all. 

It is extremely common for news outlets and politicians to claim that carrying out DBS Checks, or a higher level of DBS Check, could have prevented a crime from happening.  

This has been a common argument between councillors in various local authorities in recent years, where several high-profile criminal cases have occurred. But in most cases, this is little more than an attempt to create political spin. 

The majority of cases where it is claimed DBS Checks could have made a difference involve individuals who have never been convicted of a criminal offence before.  

This would make a DBS Check less than useless. They can only check a person's criminal history for information that is known to police and other authorities.  

Fundamentally, DBS Checks are a recruitment tool.  

They don’t prevent crimes. They prevent inappropriate people from gaining employment where they could pose a threat to vulnerable groups.  

Enabling employers to make informed decisions about the people they are hiring is what prevents crimes from occurring. 

For more information about anything in this article, or to speak to someone about DBS Checks in your business, get in touch! You can submit a contact form here, or, give us a call on 01254 355688.

*The DBS eligibility guidance is not legal advice. Eligibility is often determined by a combination of contextual factors and can be incredibly complicated. In rare circumstances, roles that may not appear to be eligible could be and vice-versa.