DBS Checks for Contractors and Trades

Contractors and tradespeople are relied upon by every single industry. This makes DBS Checks essential for many sites you’re contracted to work on. Whether it’s working in a school, hospital, prison, or even a nuclear power plant, DBS Checks need to be in place before you can start work.

Using a fast, reliable and simple DBS provider makes sure you can get on site asap. Click below to find out why thousands of UK contractors and trade businesses trust us for their DBS Checks.

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How do I Get DBS Checks for my Contractors?

Applying for a DBS check is a straightforward process. Once you’ve contacted our team, they’ll help you determine the appropriate level of DBS check and get your business set up on our system. This usually takes around 10 minutes.

Once this is done, the contractor is sent an application to complete on our system. This involves confirming their identity online, and then completing the form with their personal information and details of previous convictions if any. Once this is done, we can get the application sent to the DBS for the check to begin!

Get in touch today and we can have your contractors completing their DBS applications in as little as 15 minutes.

What dbs checks Do my contractors Need?

Basic DBS Checks can be carried out by both individuals and employers, for any reason. Standard and Enhanced DBS Checks can only be requested by employers on their staff when they are carrying out 'regulated activity'.

Regulated activity is defined as work or activity that a 'barred' person cannot do. This includes things like working with or around children or working with disabled adults. It is a criminal offence for a barred person to seek to work, or work in, activities from which they are barred.

The type of DBS Check you need ultimately depends on whether or not they are involved in regulated activity. This can be confusing, but our experts are always on hand to assist. Give us a call and we can help you determine what DBS Checks you need.

What are the Three types of DBS Check?

There are three main levels of DBS checks: Basic, Standard, and Enhanced.

A Basic DBS Check details any unspent convictions the applicant may have.

A Standard DBS Check shows any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, or final warnings.

An Enhanced DBS Check shows all of the above, plus any information deemed relevant by the applicant’s local police force. The Enhanced DBS Check can also include a search of the Children's or Adult's Barred Lists (or both) if relevant to the role.

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How it works

Step 1: Registration

Our rapid onboarding process means we can get you set up and ready to process checks in as little as 10-minutes!
Step 2: Applications

Applications are created and completed by your applicants. ID is checked and the forms are submitted to the DBS.
Step 3: Screening

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) receive the application via our secure portal. They begin the screening process.
Step 4: Results Received

DBS Checks can be completed in as little as 24 hours and confirmation is emailed directly to you.

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Contractors in Schools

Contractors visiting a school site during term time more than 3 times in 30 days will be eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check.

Depending on the nature of the work, and whether there is the possibility of unsupervised contact with children, a search of the Children’s Barred List may also be needed.

If work is being carried out at a school when no children are present, contractors would not be eligible for an Enhanced DBS Check.

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Common Roles

Contractors in Hospitals

Hospitals have lots of buildings and complex systems that require maintenance. This means there’s a huge variety of contract work involved.

In general, when working on a hospital site contractors require a Standard DBS Check. But there are various situations where other checks are needed.

For example, contractors working specifically in a children’s hospital would require an Enhanced DBS Check. Depending on the nature of the work, this may also require a barred list check.

Contractors in Care Homes

Contractors working on care homes nearly always need an Enhanced DBS Check. This will be no surprise considering they house some of the most vulnerable people in society.

In most cases, a check of the barred lists isn’t required but there are exceptions.

For example, catering contractors are often required to help feed residents. In this case, as they are directly supporting a resident, a check of the Adult’s Barred List becomes necessary.

Unusual scenarios

Sometimes your contract may not fit neatly into one of the above roles, even though you know a DBS Check is required. We are familiar with processing DBS Checks for contractors working for the military, secure psychiatric units, prisons and the nuclear sector. No matter how niche or unusual your contract might be, we’ve probably heard it before.

Our team can help you assess the eligibility of the job role and tell you exactly what DBS Check you need. Click the button below and we could have your DBS applications set up in as little as 10 minutes!

THOUSANDS OF BUSINESSES CHOOSE PERSONNEL CHECKS

Frequently Asked Questions

Processing times can vary, depending on the level of check being applied for. You can see the average processing times for each level below:
Basic DBS Check: 1-2 days
Standard DBS Checks: 2-5 days
Enhanced DBS Checks: 10-14 days

There are a number of organisations that offer ‘fast-track’ service at an extra cost. These services will not speed up the DBS Check itself as all DBS Checks are subject to the DBS processing times.
If you are a self-employed contractor, it can be incrdibly difficult to get an Enhanced or Standard DBS Check.

Enhanced DBS Checks are only available to employers who need to make a recruitment or suitability decision on a person who is working in regulated activity (see below).

This means that as an individual you cannot get an Enhanced DBS Check for yourself. But there are a couple of options in this situation.

If you are being subcontracted by another firm, they can legitimately carry out a DBS Check on you. Similarly, a business contracting you for work could do the same. If neither of these options are available, you may also be able to contact your local authority to process one on your behalf.
Regulated activity is a DBS definition that describes certain activities involving vulnerable groups. There is two types of regulated activity, ‘activity with adults’ and ‘activity with children’.

There is no definitive list determining which roles meet the definition of regulated activity. The DBS, Home Office and other government agencies collaborate to produce guidance that can help you determine whether a role can be classed as regulated activity.
If you’re unsure whether a role meets the eligibility criteria, give us a call and we can give you advice on this.

In general, no. Most contractors, will not need a DBS Check for work.
In fact, there is no legal requirement mandating that anybody has to have a DBS Check.
However, in many industries, it is a statutory or regulatory requirement needed to comply with safeguarding legislation. This is why you may be asked to provide one.
The type of ID needed to confirm your identity for a DBS Check varies depending on a couple of factors. The level of DBS Check and the type of ID Verification used.
Manual ID Verification is simply the act of checking the physical documents to confirm the applicant’s identity.

For traditional manual ID verification, 3 forms of ID, from this list, are needed for Standard and Enhanced DBS Checks. 2 are needed for Basic DBS Checks.
Online ID Verification, used by Personnel Checks, requires only 2 forms of ID for an Enhanced or Standard DBS Check. Only 1 is needed for a Basic DBS Check.
The following information would not be disclosed on an Enhanced DBS Certificate:
- Fixed penalty notices
- Allegations
- Filtered cautions or convictions (see below)
- Details of whether convictions or cautions are spent or unspent.
The cost of a DBS Check varies depending on which level of check is being applied for. Our list prices are:
Basic DBS Check: £39.60
Standard DBS Check: £44.40
Enhanced DBS Check: £64.40
Volunteer DBS Check: £22
What you see is what you get. We have no hidden fees and we don’t charge extra for ‘fast-track’ services that don’t exist.
Prices include VAT.