Criminal record checks when you apply for a role
Who can check your criminal record
Employers can check your criminal record no matter what role you apply for. This is called a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
For certain roles an employer can request a more detailed DBS check, for example if you’ll be working with children or in healthcare.
Your employer can still request a basic check if they cannot get a more detailed check for your role.
Find out what type of DBS check your employer can request for your role.
There are different rules for getting a criminal record check in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Types of check
The types of DBS check are:
- a basic check, which shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions
- a standard check, which shows any spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings
- an enhanced check, which shows the same as a standard check plus any information held by local police that’s considered relevant to the role
- an enhanced check with barred lists, which shows the same as an enhanced check plus whether you’re on the list of people barred from doing the role
Check your own record
Your employer can ask you to request your own basic check.
It costs £21.50.
You can then show it to the person you’ll be working for.
If you’re self-employed
You can only request a basic check for yourself.
You can ask an organisation you’re working with to get a standard, enhanced or enhanced with barred lists check for you, where the role is eligible.
If you’re a childminder, you can get a check through Ofsted.
If you’ve lived abroad
The check will not cover any time you lived outside the UK. The person requesting the check may ask you:
- to get a check in the country you lived in
- for your permission to get a check on your behalf through an embassy