Standard DBS (formerly CRB) level criminal record checks

Who is eligible for a Standard DBS Check?
Not every job position is eligible for a Standard DBS Check. To be eligible, the position must be included in the ROA 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Generally speaking, this includes roles in the financial and security sectors.

Ongoing government contact with the MLA led to the recent success of the MLA changing the law on the vetting of locksmiths, with the MLA now written into the exceptions order for the rehabilitation of offenders act (a process that lead to the MLA being debated in the House of Commons and House of Lords!) thereby enabling the MLA to perform standard level DBS checks on its members.

What does a Standard DBS Check tell you? Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (ROA), most convictions are considered to be 'spent' after a certain period of time, and if no further offence has taken place. This period of time depends on the severity of the conviction. Whilst Basic Disclosures will only list unspent convictions, a Standard DBS Check will also list spent convictions. They therefore allow you to make a more informed decision as to whether or not the candidate poses any potential risks. A Standard DBS Check also includes all cautions, reprimands and warnings held on the Police National Computer in England and Wales, and may also include most of the relevant convictions in Scotland and Northern Ireland. This level of check will also reveal if the candidate appears on government department lists of people who are deemed unsuitable to work with children.