DBS checks: when you need them and how to manage renewals

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is a way for employers to access criminal record information about employees or volunteers who work with vulnerable groups. Not all employers need DBS checks — and the type of check required depends on the role, not the employer's general preference.

There are four levels of DBS check:

Basic DBS check — available to any employer for any role. It reveals unspent convictions and conditional cautions only. There is no requirement to have a particular role to request a basic check, but the employee's consent is required.

Standard DBS check — available for roles listed in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order. This includes legal, financial, and certain regulated roles. It reveals spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings. Certain convictions are "filtered" (removed after a period) for both standard and enhanced checks.

Enhanced DBS check — for roles working closely with children or vulnerable adults. The most common level for social care, education, healthcare, and childcare roles. It reveals the same information as a standard check plus any relevant information held by local police that a chief constable considers may be relevant.

Enhanced DBS check with barred list check — the highest level, required for roles involving regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults. "Regulated activity" is defined in law and includes most teaching, social work, and personal care roles. Checking the barred list confirms whether the individual is barred from working with the relevant group.

Employers cannot request a check above the level appropriate to the role. Requesting an enhanced check for an administrative role that does not involve regulated activity is not permitted and will be rejected.

The DBS check is not a one-time process. Convictions can be recorded at any point after a check is issued. Many organisations implement a DBS update service subscription for relevant roles — this allows the employer to do a status check at any time without requiring a new application, for a small annual fee per person.

For roles requiring enhanced checks, sector guidance often specifies renewal periods: Ofsted guidance for childcare settings recommends checks every three years; the CQC recommends similar cycles for care roles. Employers should set renewal reminders and track expiry dates for all DBS-checked employees.

If an employee's DBS reveals information, a disclosure must be handled sensitively and fairly. The information should be reviewed by someone trained to assess relevance, not treated as automatically disqualifying. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act means some spent convictions should not affect employment decisions.

For employees who work with children, any allegation or concern about behaviour — even where DBS is clear — should be managed via the organisation's safeguarding policy.

See our HR policies guide for how DBS checks fit into the suite of required HR policies.

Mellow tracks DBS check dates, update service subscriptions, and renewal reminders for every role requiring a check. [See Mellow pricing →](https://mellowhr.com/pricing)