According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), 41% of all recorded criminal activity in the UK is fraud. This unprecedented figure continues to grow as the public struggle to cope with rising living costs. In an effort to combat this rising tide of economic crime, the UK Home Office has introduced a pivotal piece of legislation: the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill.

Explore the impact of the proposed Protect Duty, or "Martyn's Law," on UK businesses. Understand the law's requirements and the steps businesses should take to prepare, including changes to HR policies and procedures.

Delve into the cybersecurity risks of remote work for UK SMEs and uncover practical solutions to protect your business and employees from cyberattacks, data breaches, and insider threats.

Uncover the recommendations from the Independent Review of the Disclosure and Barring Regime and how they could transform the background screening landscape for roles involving children and vulnerable adults. Stay ahead of potential changes and adapt your hiring practices accordingly.

Employee rescreening offers numerous advantages in risk mitigation, including up-to-date employee information, identifying potential red flags, and maintaining compliance in regulated industries. Best practices for implementing rescreening programs include tailoring policies to company and role-specific risks, establishing a clear rescreening schedule, and communicating the policy clearly to employees.

The UK police force has been at the centre of several scandals involving sexual misconduct in recent months. A lack of comprehensive screening has led to a culture of misogyny and sexual misconduct within the force. The current vetting process includes criminal record and employment history checks, but it fails to account for other factors that could be indicative of problematic behaviour.

Delve into the challenges confronting the UK labour market, including rising unemployment, skills shortages, and difficulties in the hiring process. Discover the implications for hiring managers, recruitment agencies, and businesses combating employment fraud.

Explore the evolution of background screening, from rudimentary checks in ancient times to modern, technology-driven processes. Our recent blog post looks at how background checks have changed over the centuries, culminating in today's sophisticated DBS checks.

A child sex abuse ring in Walsall and Wolverhampton, involving 21 people, has been convicted of offences against seven children aged 12 years old or younger spanning nearly a decade. Thirteen defendants have been jailed with four to be sentenced later and another four given non-custodial sentences. The Walsall Safeguarding Partnership have decided not to release the report into the case.

In this article, we explore the ongoing debate surrounding mandatory DBS Checks for UK councillors, considering the benefits and drawbacks of introducing these checks to enhance public confidence in elected representatives and ensure integrity in local governance.

The free and expedited DBS verification processes, introduced during the COVID-19 outbreak for the health and social care sector, will end soon. The Home Office and DHSC are working on legislative amendments, with the termination date to be announced in the coming weeks.

In this article, we break down some of the most common misconceptions our advisors hear on a daily basis. Are DBS Checks a legal requirement? Do the DBS notify you if your employees commit a crime? Read more to find out!

In this article, we look at why Safer Recruitment is so much more than DBS Checks. It explores the essential elements of safer recruitment in social care, including reference checks, qualifications, and comprehensive training.

Shadow Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has proposed annual school safeguarding reviews, separate from current Ofsted inspections, to prevent safeguarding issues from being missed. Labour plans to consult on replacing Ofsted's four grades with a report card-style system, to provide more transparency for parents. The Association of School and College Leaders welcomed the proposals.

Personnel Checks recognizes Michelle Mellor, one of its founders, on International Women's Day for her dedication to the business. Michelle's leadership style and "Profiting People" motto have inspired and developed a legacy of strong female leaders across the business. Even though Michelle has passed the reins over to her successors, her legacy is still very much evident in the business.

The minimum age of marriage has risen to 18 in England and Wales. The new law eliminates a legal loophole that allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent, making it an offense to cause a child under 18 to enter a marriage in any circumstance. The change in legislation is a significant milestone in child protection, according to campaigners.

The Centre for Social Justice has proposed changes to legislation to protect victims of "cuckooing" - the practice of drug gangs taking over someone's home for their criminal activities. The proposal has gained support from politicians and campaigners, including MPs Jess Phillips and Iain Duncan Smith.

The UK has a serious safeguarding loophole that allows registered sex offenders to change their name by deed poll, slipping through the radar of authorities and putting vulnerable people at risk. The Safeguarding Alliance is calling for urgent changes to legislation, and Della's Law aims to close the loophole.

A six-month trial of a four-day working week involving 61 UK companies and 2,900 employees has been hailed as a "resounding success". The largest trial of its kind saw a variety of four-day week structures tested, and led to 92% of the participant businesses continuing a 4-day work week, with 29.5% confirming they have implemented the 4-day policy as a permanent change

Online dating has dramatically changed over the last 30 years, with more than 50% of romantic relationships predicted to start online by 2035. However, with the rise of catfishing, there are risks involved. It is important to protect yourself by identifying suspicious behaviors and using safer dating apps that incorporate background checks.