DBS Supporting Sussex Police to Clear Backlog of Applications

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) recently announced they would be providing extra funding to Sussex Police to try and tackle the backlog of DBS Checks they are experiencing. The funding will be to cover 4 additional members of staff to help the force get on top of their DBS Check requirements.  

As of December, the force had a backlog of 7600 DBS cases, which they recognised as unacceptable. However, a massive increase in DBS applications combined with higher-than-normal staff turnover has left the force with inadequate resources to meet their service level agreement with the DBS. Commenting on the situation, Chief Constable Jo Shiner said:  

“We know that [the recruitment] will have a significant impact in terms of some of that backlog, which I agree is not acceptable.  

“I’m not going to sit here and say we are delivering the service we should be delivering, because we’re not.  

“The waiting times are too long and I acknowledge the impact that can have on some people – not in all cases but on some of the more complex cases where we have to go for additional information, then that does take a longer time.” 

But it’s not just Sussex Police that have been struggling with a DBS backlog. Several forces across the country have struggled in the face of higher-than-expected volumes of DBS applications. Over the past 12 months, this has meant that more people than usual have experienced a delay in processing Enhanced DBS Checks. 

Why do DBS Checks get delayed with the police? 

Carrying out a criminal record check is no simple task. It can involve multiple government agencies and the police. But despite this, most DBS Checks are completed very quickly. Figures from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) show that, last year: 

• 85.2% of Basic DBS Certificates were issued within 48 hours. 

• 94.7% of Standard DBS Certificates were issued within 5 days. 

• 78.4% of Enhanced DBS Certificates were issued in 14 days. 

Both Basic and Standard turnaround times exceeded their target of 80%, however, Enhanced DBS Checks were just shy of hitting the 80% target. The main reason for this has been a huge increase in the number of Enhanced DBS Checks being processed.  

The 22/23 financial year saw a 10.8% increase in the number of Enhanced DBS Checks completed (around 500,000). In total, this led to the DBS processing over 7.5 million DBS Checks last year, with 4,500,592 being Enhanced DBS Checks. 

Being the highest level of DBS Check, Enhanced DBS Checks go through the most extensive checking process. An Enhanced DBS Check goes through the following 5 stages: 

Stage 1: The DBS Application form is received and validated 

Stage 2: The Police National Computer (PNC) is searched 

Stage 3: The application is checked against the Child and/or Adult Barred Lists (if required). 

Stage 4: The application is sent for a 'records held by the police search'. The police will add on any information they deem relevant to the position give on the DBS application. 

Stage 5: The DBS Check process is complete, and the certificate is being printed and posted. 

As you can see, Stage 4 of this process this involves sending the application the police. The application will be sent to any police force that may have information on the applicant in question. Sometimes this can go to one force but it's not uncommon for an application to be sent to multiple police forces before a DBS Certificate is issued.  

What happens when a DBS Check reaches Stage 4? 

When local police receive a DBS application, they compare this information against any records they have. The purpose of this is to see if there's any relevant information that requires disclosure. If there is, the Police will disclose this on the DBS certificate. 

This can be a time-intensive process. For police forces suffering from staffing issues DBS Checks can quickly build up. Localised events can also cause significant delays to DBS Checks, as staff can be allocated to more serious issues. For example, the 2010/11 Student Riots caused significant delays to some police forces DBS turnaround times.  

This leads to DBS Checks not being processed for several days or even weeks. Unfortunately, there is nothing anybody can do in these situations to speed things along.  

If you are waiting for the results of a DBS Check, and it has been in process for over 60 days, you can contact the DBS for further information on 0300 0200 190.