What are the levels of check and who can have them?

There are three main levels of DBS check available in the UK, which are appropriate for employment vetting. 

The three levels are: 

To be able to obtain either a Standard or Enhanced DBS check, the individual in question must be eligible for the check.

This means they must be working in specific roles, often with vulnerable groups, in order for their employer to be able to request this higher level of check on them. 

As a result, only employers can request standard or enhanced DBS checks. 

If an individual is not eligible for these types of DBS check, their employer, or the individual themselves, can request a basic disclosure. 

We will now explore each of these checks below to help you determine which level is most suitable. 

Standard and Enhanced DBS checks 

Both Standard and Enhanced DBS checks will detail both spent and unspent convictions, as well as any cautions, warnings or reprimands an applicant has on their record (as long as they’re not protected). 

An Enhanced DBS check will also include the option for the police to include any information they hold and deem relevant. 

For an individual to be eligible for either of these checks their role must be outlined in the appropriate legislation. 

To be entitled to a Standard DBS check, an applicant’s role must be included in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. For an Enhanced check, it must be included both in this act and the Police Act 1997. 

In simple terms, those who are eligible for an Enhanced DBS check will most often be working with children or vulnerable adults. The DBS workforce guides provide further information on the types of position that entitle an individual to this higher level of check. 

Enhanced DBS Checks 

With Enhanced DBS checks, employers also have the option to include a barred list check if applicable. This means a check will be made against either the children’s or vulnerable adult’s barred list, or both, to confirm whether the applicant is barred from working with these vulnerable groups. 

Standard DBS Checks 

Eligibility for Standard DBS checks is slightly harder to define. There is no description of the type of jobs which entitle people to this check, rather it is a list of specific professions which require the disclosure. Examples include: 

Please refer to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 for further information. 

Basic DBS checks (not to be confused with a Standard level) 

If an individual is not eligible for a Standard or Enhanced DBS check then the employer, or the individual themselves, can request a basic DBS check. 

A basic DBS check will contain details of convictions and conditional cautions considered to be ‘unspent’ under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. As these convictions are not yet classed as spent, any employer is entitled to ask for this information, meaning there’s no eligibility criteria to obtain this check. As a result, individuals can also obtain this disclosure themselves. 

This check is often required for personal licence applications and for some visa applications. 

However, it’s important to note that this check would not be suitable for positions which are entitled to a higher level of DBS check, as it won’t detail the same extent of criminal record information.