Disclosure and Barring Service: DBS Checks Guide UK

If you’re applying for a job in care, education, or healthcare, someone will ask for a DBS check before you start. The process sounds more complicated than it is—and most of the confusion comes from knowing which check you need and what it will actually reveal. This guide cuts through the jargon to show you how the Disclosure and Barring Service works, what you’ll pay, and how to get your certificate as quickly as possible.

Sponsored by: Home Office ·
Body type: Executive non-departmental public body ·
Primary purpose: Safer recruitment decisions ·
Basic check available via: GOV.UK ·
Check types include: Basic, Standard, Enhanced

What is the Disclosure and Barring Service?

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions by providing criminal record checks for positions in England, Wales, and for certain roles in Northern Ireland. It replaced the old Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority in 2012, consolidating everything into a single service under Home Office sponsorship.

Role in safer recruitment

The DBS provides three levels of criminal record checks that employers can request depending on the nature of the role. For positions involving regular contact with children or vulnerable adults, an Enhanced DBS check gives employers access to local police intelligence and barred list information—not just convictions. This broader picture helps organisations spot risks that a basic check would miss entirely.

Sponsorship and structure

As an executive non-departmental public body, the DBS operates at arm’s length from government while receiving its mandate and funding from the Home Office. This structure keeps the service independent from day-to-day political interference while ensuring it remains publicly accountable. The DBS works with hundreds of registered umbrella bodies—organisations authorised to submit Standard and Enhanced check applications on behalf of employers.

What does a DBS check for?

A DBS check retrieves information from the Police National Computer and, for higher-level checks, from local police records. The purpose is to help employers assess whether a candidate poses a risk to children or vulnerable adults in a given role. This protects both organisations from hiring dangerous staff and the public from potential harm.

Types of DBS checks

Basic checks are available to any individual and show only unspent convictions—those that haven’t been filtered out under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. Standard checks include both spent and unspent convictions, plus cautions, reprimands, and final warnings. Enhanced checks add relevant police information and can include checks against the Children’s Barred List and Adults’ Barred List for roles involving regular contact with vulnerable groups.

Information included

A DBS certificate will list criminal convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer that haven’t been filtered or become spent. For Enhanced checks, the certificate may also include “soft intelligence”—information held locally by police forces that they believe is relevant to the role applied for. This isn’t necessarily evidence of wrongdoing. It could be a witness statement from an investigation that didn’t result in charges, or notes from a neighbourhood policing contact.

What will show up on a DBS check?

The answer depends entirely on which level of check the role requires. Each tier reveals different information, and the difference between them matters both for applicants and for the organisations requesting the check.

Convictions and cautions

A DBS check will show convictions and cautions held on the Police National Computer that haven’t been filtered or become spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. For Enhanced checks, it may also include relevant police intelligence even if no conviction resulted. The specific offences listed depend on what appears in your record and what the police consider relevant to the role applied for.

Other disclosures

Beyond convictions and cautions, Enhanced DBS certificates may contain “soft intelligence”—information held locally by police forces that they believe is relevant to the role applied for. This could include ongoing investigations that didn’t lead to charges, witness statements, or neighbourhood policing notes. The employer decides whether this information is relevant to the role.

How much does a DBS check cost in the UK?

The official fees set by the DBS are fixed, but what you actually pay depends on whether you apply directly or go through an umbrella body. Here’s how the costs break down for each check type.

GOV.UK charges the exact DBS fee with no markup for Basic checks. CRBonline admin fees start from £4.00 per application. uCheck charges £11.80 admin plus VAT for Enhanced DBS checks, bringing the total to approximately £61.30. Smart Workforce notes that it is illegal to charge a volunteer for any part of their DBS check costs.

Who pays

In most cases, employers cover the cost of Standard and Enhanced DBS checks for their staff. However, some sectors—particularly social care—have arrangements where applicants pay upfront and are later reimbursed. Smart Workforce notes that employers can deduct DBS costs from salary if contractually agreed. Direct Basic DBS applications are almost always paid by the individual applicant themselves.

Can I see my DBS certificate online?

Yes—and the process is simpler than many people realise. Once your check is complete, you can track its progress and view your certificate through the GOV.UK portal rather than waiting for a letter to arrive in the post.

Tracking and viewing

To track your DBS check, you’ll need the reference number you received when you submitted your application. Logging into GOV.UK allows you to check the status in real time. For Basic checks applied for directly, GOV.UK guidance states that on average it takes 3 days to process an application, though it can take longer during busy periods.

Download options

DBS certificates are sent by 2nd class post after completion. If you need your certificate urgently, contact the DBS directly—expedited postal services may be available in certain circumstances. There’s currently no option to download a PDF directly from GOV.UK; you must wait for the physical certificate to arrive.

How to apply for a DBS check

The application process differs depending on whether you need a Basic check (which you can do yourself) or a Standard/Enhanced check (which requires an employer or umbrella body). Here’s the step-by-step breakdown.

1. Identify which check you need. Your employer should tell you the level required for your role. If you’re unsure, ask them directly before applying.
2. For Basic checks: apply directly via GOV.UK. You’ll need addresses for the last 5 years, your National Insurance number, and a debit or credit card. You’ll also need identification—either a passport or driving licence.
3. For Standard/Enhanced checks: find an umbrella body. Your employer may already be registered. If not, they’ll need to register with the DBS, which costs £300 plus £5 per countersignatory.
4. Complete the application form. For Standard and Enhanced checks, this is usually done online through the umbrella body’s portal. The umbrella body then validates your application before submitting it to the DBS.
5. Pay the relevant fee. Payment for Basic DBS must be made within 10 days if not paid immediately, via email link.
6. Wait for processing. Basic DBS checks average 3 days. Standard DBS checks typically take 48 hours with umbrella bodies. Enhanced checks average 48 hours but can take up to 10 working days due to police checks.
7. Receive your certificate. The DBS sends the certificate by 2nd class post to the applicant’s home address. Keep it somewhere safe—you may need it for future employment.

What the experts say

“On average it takes 3 days to process an application but it can sometimes take longer.”

— GOV.UK (Official UK Government Guidance)

“The only cost is the official £21.50 DBS fee. If you’re being asked to pay more, it means an admin fee is being added.”

— CRBonline (CRB Check Provider)

“It is illegal to charge a volunteer for any part of their DBS check.”

— Smart Workforce (DBS Guide Provider)

The practical reality of DBS checks

For most applicants, the DBS process is straightforward—apply online, wait a few days, receive your certificate. The complications arise when employers don’t communicate clearly about which check they need, or when applicants don’t realise they’ve been charged admin fees they could have avoided. Understanding the tiered system, knowing that Basic checks go directly through GOV.UK for £21.50 with no markup, and applying online rather than by post are the three things that will save you the most time and money. Employers who understand the rules register as umbrella bodies to streamline future hiring—and the law protects volunteers from being asked to cover even a penny of their check.

Related reading: NHS A-Z Guide · HM Revenue and Customs contact

While GOV.UK offers official insights into DBS checks, practical resources like the DBS login and checks guide provide step-by-step login and contact details for applicants.

Frequently asked questions