Who Pays For DBS Checks?
DBS checks are becoming a very common way for employers or organisations to check that they hire people that are suitable for the role, as part of a background check.
A DBS check reveals some details of convictions and any other entries on your criminal record. What is actually revealed on a DBS check depends on the level of check carried out.
Therefore, it’s important to prepare for the eventuality that you may get asked to submit a form for a DBS check when you apply for a new job or position. The next question in your mind is probably – who pays for the DBS check? We’ll seek to answer that question for you in this brief article.
Who Pays for a DBS Check?
In the majority of cases, the employer or organisation will pay for the DBS check, but this is not always the way it works. There is no legal requirement for an employer to cover the cost of the DBS check, so some won’t do it.
In other words, don’t be too surprised if a prospective employer asks you to foot the bill for the DBS check yourself. Also, don’t be too distressed as it is quite easy these days to apply for a DBS check online. Our online DBS check service is easy-to-use, fast, and reliable, so check it out if you need to get a Basic DBS check done for yourself.
Standard and Enhanced DBS checks must be processed by the employer or registered body as they need to verify ID documents and in some cases provide further information about the role. In these cases, the employer will usually pay for the DBS check as they are the ones submitting it, but again this doesn’t always happen and some employers will expect you to pick up the tab.
How Do You Find Out Who Will Pay for the DBS Check?
There’s a good chance that your employer will pay for your DBS check, as most do. But there are exceptions.
Usually, the job posting or job description will say whether a DBS check is needed or not, but it won’t always state who is expected to pay for it. In most cases, if the employer mentions it in the job listing, they are doing so because they don’t want to waste money on paying for a check that the applicant will fail so they are making people aware upfront.
Sometimes, a job posting won’t mention the requirement for a DBS check and it will be brought up on the application form or even during the interview.
If you’re unsure, the best way to find out whether you’ll be expected to cover the cost of a DBS check is to ask the employer or organisation directly.
What Are The Fees for a DBS Check?
The UK Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) requests a small fee to cover the administration and postage costs of carrying out a DBS check and providing a certificate. If you apply online through our portal we pay the fee directly to the DBS for you.
The basic and standard DBS checks are the ones that are most commonly requested by employers and as you can see, they are also the cheapest. Jobs that involve close contact with children or vulnerable adults, or any other DBS regulated activity, will require an enhanced DBS check, which are more expensive. For this reason, employers will cover the DBS check fee for the vast majority of roles that require an enhanced DBS check.
Do Volunteers Have To Pay for DBS Checks Too?
If you are volunteering in a role that requires an enhanced DBS check – e.g. volunteering at a school or care home, then you will get a free DBS check. The government covers the cost of the admin and postage fee to make sure that volunteers, or the organisations that rely on them, are not left out of pocket. This makes sense when you consider that these roles are required by law to have an enhanced DBS check in place, but the organisation may have limited funds.
Get Ahead of The Game By Applying for A DBS Check Online
One good way to make yourself stand out when you start applying for jobs that only require a Basic DBS Check is to get one carried out ahead of time. As an additional advantage, If you can send a copy of your basic DBS check certificate with your application, it can help to impress a prospective employer and make the difference between landing a job or not.
However, it may be worth checking with potential employers first whether they actually ask for a DBS check or not, and if so, will they pay for it. If they are happy to pay for the check, it may not be worthwhile to pay for it yourself. Either way, it will help you to plan for any future costs.
We are experts in all things DBS check-related and we offer a smooth, easy-to-use, and reliable online DBS check application service. Get in touch with one of our friendly advisors if you want to ask any questions or get started.
