Self‑employed workers and personal employees can now apply for their own Enhanced and Enhanced with Barred List DBS checks via a DBS umbrella body – including fast, digital DBS identity checks.
In January 2026, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) made an important change to their guidance. Previously, self‑employed people could typically only access a Basic DBS check. If their role needed an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced with Barred List DBS check, an organisation (such as a school, care provider, or agency) had to apply on their behalf.
This updated guidance means that, today, eligible self‑employed workers and personal employees can apply for Enhanced DBS checks or Enhanced DBS checks with Children’s and/or Adults’ Barred List checks themselves. Applications must be made through a registered DBS umbrella body, such as uCheck, and not directly to DBS.
This update closes a long‑standing gap for individuals who work directly with families or private clients, but who aren’t employed via an organisation that can sponsor their DBS check. Typical examples include:
- Private tutors delivering lessons in the home or online
- Nannies and personal carers hired directly by families
- Personal assistants and support workers paid through direct payments or personal health budgets
Why Enhanced DBS checks matter for self‑employed professionals
Until recently, self-employed workers were limited to a Basic DBS check. This could only show unspent convictions and conditional cautions. It did not include:
- Spent and unspent convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer that are not filtered.
- It may also include relevant non‑conviction information provided by police forces.
- If the role is eligible, employers can request checks of one or both DBS Barred Lists.
For self‑employed professionals who work closely with vulnerable groups, this can leave a gap. A family hiring a self‑employed tutor or carer may want the same level of reassurance they would expect from a school, care agency or residential provider.
Being able to apply for an Enhanced DBS check or an Enhanced DBS check with Barred List information:
- Gives families and private employers more confidence when they’re engaging self‑employed workers.
- Helps self‑employed people demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding, in line with best practice in schools, care settings and healthcare environments.
- Supports safer recruitment decisions across the board.
For many self‑employed people, a digital DBS check is also simply more convenient – you can complete your application and identity checks online, without unnecessary paperwork.
Who can use the new self‑employed DBS check route?
Digital Right to Work checks are a streamlined equivalent of a manual Right to Work check for British or Broadly, the new route is designed for:
- Self‑employed workers who provide services directly to individuals or families.
- Personal employees, e.g. workers engaged directly using direct payments or personal health budgets.
- People working in a role that meets DBS eligibility criteria for Enhanced or Enhanced with Barred List checks.
You’re likely to use this route if:
- You work for yourself, not through a school, care provider, agency or membership body, and your role is eligible under DBS guidance.
- Remember: eligibility hasn’t changed, so you can only obtain an Enhanced or Enhanced with Barred List DBS check if the role is already eligible under DBS guidance, e.g. roles involving regulated activity with children or adults at risk.
- There’s no other organisation that would normally sponsor an Enhanced DBS check on your behalf. Where organisations, agencies or associations already manage DBS checks for staff, contractors or members, those arrangements should stay in place.
- You’re not working in a volunteer role, as volunteers aren’t included in this new self‑employed route. Volunteers continue to follow the existing DBS processes.
If you’re unsure whether your role is eligible for an Enhanced digital DBS check or Enhanced with Barred List check, our expert team at uCheck can help interpret the rules and guide you through the process.
Why DBS umbrella bodies – and digital DBS checks – are key
Self‑employed workers and personal employees cannot apply directly to DBS for an Enhanced or Enhanced with Barred List check and must use a registered DBS umbrella body instead.
At uCheck, we:
- Confirm if your role is eligible for an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced with Barred List information.
- Manage the application process, including digital DBS check workflows, to make it as quick and easy as possible.
- Support remote identity validation using secure digital identity verification, which you can complete on your phone, tablet or computer.
- Submit your application and keep you updated on progress.
- Help you understand timescales, fees and certificate handling
If you’re a family or private individual hiring a self‑employed tutor, nanny, carer or personal assistant:
- You can’t apply for an Enhanced DBS check on their behalf – the self‑employed worker must apply themselves via a DBS umbrella body.
- You can ask them to obtain an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced with Barred List DBS check where the role is eligible. You can find DBS eligibility guidance on the DBS website: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dbs-eligibility-guidance
- You can ask to see their DBS certificate and, if they’re on the DBS Update Service, request permission to check it online.
It’s also important to remember that a DBS check is only one part of safer recruitment. You should still carry out references, interviews, and make sure your worker is supervised correctly.
How uCheck supports safer, faster digital DBS checks
For self‑employed workers, personal employees and organisations alike, uCheck offers:
- Expertise in DBS eligibility and process from the UK’s market‑leading DBS provider.
- Secure, digital identity verification technology certified against Government standards, delivered in partnership with TrustID.
- Fast, digital DBS checks that reduce admin whilst supporting robust safeguarding.
Together, we help:
- Self‑employed people access the correct level of DBS check.
- Organisations and families gain greater confidence in the individuals they engage.
- Everyone involved save time, reduce paperwork and stay compliant with DBS and identity standards.
So, if you’ve got any questions or want to find out more about how we can help with Enhanced DBS checks for self-employed workers, don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can reach our team using this handy online form – or simply give us a call on 0330 113 33 33.
