Disclosure and Barring Service - Update Service now available

From 17 June 2013, individuals can now join the Update Service putting them in greater control of their information.

This new subscription service lets individuals keep their DBS Certificates up-to-date so they can take it with them when they move jobs or roles. You, as an employer, can then carry out free, online, instant checks to see if any new information has come to light since the Certificate’s issue – this is called a Status check.

This could mean no more application forms to complete and no waiting for the checks to come back. This should save you time and money.

Who can carry out a Status check?

You don’t have to join the Update Service, or pay a fee, to check a DBS Certificate. You must however have the individual’s consent, be legally entitled to apply for a DBS certificate of the same type and level as you are going to check, and the individual must be subscribed to the Update Service. When you make a Status check you need to confirm that you’re entitled to carry it out and are able to comply with our Code of Practice. If you are unsure, please go to for more information and guidance.

What do you need to do to carry out a Status check?

  • Have the applicant’s consent in writing (we would recommend ongoing consent).
  • See the original Certificate to check it is the same type and level as you are legally entitled to, make sure that the right checks have been carried out and see what, if any, information was disclosed about the applicant.
  • Check the person’s identity.
  • Check the name on the DBS Certificate matches this identity.
  • Note the DBS Certificate reference number, the person’s name and date of birth.
  • Comply with the DBS Code of Practice; which includes having a policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders (a sample is available from our publications section at and make this available to the person.

What do the results of the Status check mean?

When you carry out a Status check, you will receive one of the following results instantly:

This Certificate did not reveal any information and remains current as no further information has been identified since its issue.

This means:

  • The Certificate was issued blank - it did not reveal any information about the person.
  • No new information has been found since its issue and it can therefore be accepted as being still current and valid.

This Certificate remains current as no further information has been identified since its issue.

This means:

  • The Certificate revealed information about the person.
  • No new information has been found since its issue and it can therefore be accepted as being still current and valid.

This Certificate is no longer current. Please apply for a new DBS check to get the most up-to-date information.

This means:

  • New information has come to light since the Certificate was issued and you will need to apply for a new DBS check to see this new information.

The details entered do not match those held on our system. Please check and try again.

This means either:

  • The individual has not subscribed to the Update Service; or
  • The Certificate has been removed from the Update Service by the individual; or
  • You have not entered the correct information.

What else do you need to know?

Status checks are free-of-charge and can be carried out as and when you need to; as long you have the individual’s consent for each check that you make (you may want to get consent each time you check or you could consider asking for ongoing consent – it’s up to you!). You can choose to pay for or reimburse the applicant’s annual Update Service subscription fee (currently £13). The individual will be able to see who has carried out a Status check, and when they did, from their online account.

DBS Certificates

The DBS will no longer automatically issue a copy of the applicant’s DBS Certificate to the Registered Body who countersigned the DBS application form. Employers will need to ask the applicant for sight of their DBS Certificate.

Registered Bodies will be entitled to ask the DBS for a copy of the applicant’s DBS Certificate if all of the following conditions apply:

  • The individual is subscribed to the Update Service; and
  • The employer has carried out a Status Check which revealed a change to the DBS Certificate; and as a result
  • The individual has applied for a new DBS check as the result of a change to an existing DBS Certificate; and
  • The DBS issued the new DBS Certificate to the applicant more than 28 days ago; and
  • The applicant has not shown the employer their new DBS Certificate.

If the individual has disputed the new DBS Certificate the DBS will not consider issuing a copy to the Registered Body until 28 days after the dispute is resolved.

If the individual has disputed the new DBS Certificate, and the dispute is 'not upheld', the Registered Body must wait until 28 days after the dispute resolution date before requesting a reprint. This is to give the applicant time to show the DBS Certificate to the Registered Body /employer.

What should you do now?

  • Encourage your staff and volunteers to subscribe to the Update Service when they are due for a new DBS check; (in line with your existing re-checking policies.)
  • Review your employment and recruitment policies to see how Status checks can form a part of these processes.

New ways of working

As Bradford Council Vetting Service (as the Umbrella Body) will no longer receive a copy of the DBS certificate, we will track the progress of each application and let you know when it reaches Stage 5 and the certificate has been sent to the applicant.

At this point we will advise you to contact the applicant and invite them to bring their certificate in to school in order that you can discuss any disclosures on it.

If the certificate contains disclosures and you would like advice on how to proceed please contact your PACT-HR Business Partner or alternative HR provider.

If the certificate is clear or you are satisfied that any disclosures do not compromise the appointment, you will be able to proceed with the recruitment process, making sure that you record the certificate number, the applicants name and date of birth and result (eg “clear” or “disclosures discussed”).

In order that your School Support Team can ensure that your employees’ personnel files are kept up to date, it will be beneficial if you would please provide them with the certificate information when submitting your Anycomms new starter forms. They will then be able to provide this information to you on request should your single central record be compromised in any way.

Re-Checks

DBS checks can be carried out in line with your existing re-checking policies. If an applicant has applied for a certificate after 17 June 2013 and has subscribed to the Update Service, the Vetting Service can carry out Status Checks on your behalf upon request. The current charge for this will be £5 per check. Again, please forward the details of the outcome to your School Support Officer so that the employee file can be updated.

Certificates issued prior to 17 June 2013 will not be included on the Update Service and you will need to apply for a new DBS check. You can ask your employee to subscribe to the service at the same time as making this application so that the new certificate will be portable.

Contact us

It is difficult to anticipate how the Update Service will be embraced by employees and applicants, and the impact this will have on the kind of services schools would like the Bradford Council Vetting Team to provide going forward. We have instigated some new processes (see above) which we hope you will find workable, but we would like you to have an input into shaping the provision to best suit your requirements going forwards.

We therefore invite you to contact us at with your feedback and suggestions.