No. 1 for Employer DBS Checks
As Rated by Govt Stats

There are 3 types of DBS check: Basic, Standard and Enhanced.

The type of check you are permitted to carry out on an applicant will depend on the workplace and their new role.

Each level of check will show the following information from an applicant’s background:

Basic DBS Check: Unspent convictions or conditional cautions.

Standard DBS Check: Spent or unspent convictions, reprimands, cautions, or final warnings.

Enhanced DBS Check: Spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, as well as any other relevant information from the applicant’s local police station.

Enhanced DBS Check with barred lists: The same information as the normal enhanced DBS check, but also shows whether the applicant is on the list of people barred from doing the role.

Using uCheck’s platform, you simply need to provide your personal data: address history for the past 5 years, your personal information and payment details.

You’ll then need to have your ID verified by someone who isn’t a partner or relative of yours.

uCheck will complete final checks on your data and send your application to the DBS.

We’ll let you know as soon as your application has completed processing with the DBS.

You’ll be able to view the summary result on the uCheck platform, and you’ll receive your certificate.

Registration is just £19.95 plus VAT. This is a one-off cost – after you’ve registered, you’ll pay for online DBS checks as and when you need them.

While uCheck cannot do anything to influence the time it takes your local police force to process the DBS check, there are ways you can avoid unnecessary delays to the processing.

You can do this by ensuring there are no errors on the form and that all fields are filled in and correct to the best of your knowledge.

uCheck’s platform will guide you through the application process, reducing the likelihood of mistakes and therefore reducing the possibility of delays.

If you will be working in regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults, it is against the law for your employer to employ someone who is barred from working with these groups.

To avoid risk to the organisation and the vulnerable groups it works with you should not be permitted by your employer to start work before receiving a DBS check.

Employers providing care services for adults can make use of a service called DBS Adult First if they wish the applicant to start working sooner, under supervision. This check can only be completed if the applicant is in a regulated activity with vulnerable adults.

Within a few days this will indicate whether an applicant can start work in a supervised position or whether the employer should wait for the full results of the enhanced DBS check.

As well as their personal details, including a full five-year address history, applicants will need to provide several documents as proof of identification. A full list of acceptable documents is available on the DBS website.

Through uCheck’s online HR platform, you can request and track DBS checks and other pre-employment checks.

The platform guides you through the DBS application process and is easy to use.

Once you’ve registered with uCheck, your applicants can add their personal details and then the platform lets you know when you need to proceed to an ID check.

The platform allows you to track the status of applications at a glance, and will let you know when the check is finished and the results are ready.

DBS Checks are completed within 48 hours on average. However, some may take longer depending on how long the DBS and police take to process the application.

There is no law stating that employers should pay for employees’ DBS checks.

It is at the discretion of the employer whether they cover the cost, or require the employee to pay for their DBS check.

You might be able to use the same DBS check certificate for another job as long as the new position matches your previous role and workplace

This is because the role and workplace would have determined the level and detail of DBS check undertaken.

This stops your old certificate showing less information than is required for the new role, as well as showing more information than your new employer is legally able to view.

It is also at your employer’s discretion whether they wish to carry out another DBS check – for example if the previous check was completed a while ago, or whether their company policy states new checks must be done for all new employees.