A DBS check, or Disclosure and Barring Service check, is a background check carried out in the United Kingdom to provide information about an individual's criminal record and other relevant information. The Disclosure and Barring Service is a non-departmental public body in the UK that helps employers make safer recruitment decisions.

There are three levels of DBS checks:

Basic DBS Check:

This is the lowest level of check and provides details of any unspent convictions or conditional cautions an individual may have.

Standard DBS Check:

This check includes details of spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings.

Enhanced DBS Check:

This is the most comprehensive level of check and includes all the information covered in the standard check, plus any additional information held by local police that is considered relevant to the position applied for. It may also involve checks against lists of individuals barred from working with vulnerable adults or children.

Basic DBS checks

You can request a basic DBS check yourself by going to the DBS website and applying directly. For more information on that, please click here.

Standard and Enhanced

If you need a standard or enhanced level DBS check, this will need to be requested either by your employer or by a 3rd party DBS checking service. You will not be able to apply for this by yourself.

At The Mental Health Hub by MeYouWellbeing, we offer a free to low cost DBS checking service. For more information on this, please get in touch.

£0 - £100+

The cost of a DBS check can vary greatly depending on what level the check is and who is requesting it. Basic and standard DBS checks are usually cheaper to obtain and enhanced checks usually cost more. If you are working for an organisation which is requesting that you have a DBS check, they may be willing to cover the cost. It’s worth speaking with them to find out. If your organisation is not willing to cover the cost of your DBS check, or if you are a self employed person needing an enhanced DBS check, make sure to get in touch with The Mental Health Hub by MeYouWellbeing Team as your first option for free to low cost DBS checks.

The DBS Update Service is a subscription service offered by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in the United Kingdom. It allows individuals to keep their criminal record check up-to-date, and employers to check the status of an existing DBS certificate without the need for the individual to apply for a new one each time they take up a new position. The cost is currently £13 per year. For more information on registering for the update service, please click here: https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

There are many benefits to being on the DBS update service. Once you have completed your DBS check and registered for the update service, you will no longer have to keep filling out the application form (quite time consuming) or restarting the process every time your new employer asks for a check. This means you can get into employment faster. DBS checks also ask for personal information such as your 5 year address history, and this can be hard to remember or keep track of so its advisable to register for the update service as soon as you have completed the DBS checking process.

As part of your DBS check application, the form will ask for a range of documents which prove your name, date of birth and proof of address. This can include documents such as your passport, drivers license, birth certificate and bank statements. When completing your DBS check through The Mental Health Hub by MeYouWellbeing we will help you with this process. Get in contact with us today if you need support with this.