All checks are processed by First Job Services, which is recognised by the Disclosure and Barring Service as a Responsible Organisation for Basic Checks
A basic DBS check is sometimes referred to as a basic criminal record check, or by the old title of a CRB check.
The check is carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service in England and Wales. In Scotland the check is undertaken by Disclosure Scotland.
In a nutshell, the basic DBS check will highlight an individual’s criminal history to potential employers or other organisations. It is designed to prevent unsuitable people being hired for certain roles and to protect vulnerable children or adults.
A basic disclosure will search for and reveal:
– Unspent convictions (see below for more details)
– Conditional cautions (a caution that has certain conditions attached to it).
For each offence, the report will disclose the conviction date, name of the court, nature of the offence, date of the offence, and the details of the sentence imposed.
The following are not disclosed:
– Spent criminal records (see below for more details)
– Fixed penalty notices (e.g. speeding tickets, littering fines, etc.)
– Allegations (if you are accused, but not prosecuted of a crime).
Spent convictions refer to fines or sentences of less than 4 years imprisonment, whereby a specific amount of time has elapsed since the sentencing.
| Sentence imposed: | Adult | Minor (Under 18) |
| Prison > 4 years | Never spent | Never spent |
| Prison: 30 months to 4 years | Spent: sentence + 7 years | Spent: sentence + 3.5 years |
| Prison: 6 months to 30 months | Spent: sentence + 4 years | Spent: sentence + 2 years |
| Prison: < 6 months | Spent: sentence + 2 years | Spent: sentence + 1.5 years |
| Community service | Spent: Order + 1 year | Spent: Order + 0.5 year |
| Fine | Spent: 1 year | Spent: 1 year |
Employers such as supermarkets, logistics firms, delivery companies, licensed premises, airport industry, administration, transport employers, etc.
Either you apply for one yourself, or your employer applies with your consent. You can apply online by filling our Basic DBS Check application form. After you have submitted your basic details you can verify your identity using our Government approved Yoti service.
Your certificate will arrive in 1 to 5 days at the address you provided us. Some applications may take longer.
