DBS check levels confuse employers and candidates alike, and getting the level wrong causes real problems. Ask for too little and a care home or school is exposed at inspection. Ask for too much and the application can be rejected, because the higher checks are only lawful for roles that genuinely qualify. This guide explains the four levels, which roles in care, education and cleaning need each one, and what employers in Luton should keep on file.
The four DBS check levels
Basic. Shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions. Anyone can apply for their own, and any employer can ask for one.
Standard. Adds spent convictions and cautions, subject to filtering rules. Only available for roles listed as eligible, for example some financial and legal positions.
Enhanced. Includes everything in a standard check plus any relevant information held by local police. Available for roles involving specified work with children or adults.
Enhanced with barred list. Also checks whether the person is barred from working with children, adults, or both. Only available for roles that meet the legal definition of regulated activity.
The Disclosure and Barring Service publishes eligibility guidance and an eligibility tool for employers who are unsure which level applies.
DBS check levels by role
Care workers and senior carers
Care staff providing personal care to residents are carrying out regulated activity with adults, so they need an enhanced check with the adults’ barred list. The same applies to healthcare assistants and nurses in clinical care settings. Care providers are also expected to evidence safe recruitment to the regulator, which is why agencies supplying staff are asked for proof of the check rather than a verbal assurance. Our guide to recruiting healthcare staff in Luton covers the wider process.
Teaching assistants and supply staff
Staff working regularly with pupils, including teaching assistants, cover supervisors and supply teachers, normally need an enhanced check with the children’s barred list. Schools must follow the pre-appointment checks set out in Keeping Children Safe in Education, and must hold written confirmation from an agency that those checks have been carried out for agency staff. We cover the school side in detail in our guide to background checks for school staff.
Cleaners
Cleaners are where employers most often get it wrong. A cleaner working in an office usually only qualifies for a basic check. A cleaner working in a school or care home during the day, with regular opportunity for contact with pupils or residents, may be eligible for an enhanced check. The deciding factor is the setting and the contact, not the job title. When in doubt, use the DBS eligibility tool before submitting an application.
Portability and the update service
A DBS certificate has no official expiry date, but it only reflects information up to the day it was issued. Many employers ask for a check within a set period, often three years. The DBS update service lets a certificate holder keep their certificate current, and lets an employer check online, with consent, whether anything has changed since it was issued. For agency staff who move between settings, it saves weeks.
What employers should keep on file
- The certificate number, level, issue date and which barred lists were checked
- Confirmation that you saw the original certificate or checked the update service
- For agency staff, the agency’s written confirmation of the checks it carried out
- Right to work evidence, identity checks and references alongside the DBS
Frequently asked questions
Can a candidate start work while their DBS is processing?
For regulated activity, only in limited circumstances with a barred list check completed first and supervision in place. In most care and school roles, placement waits for the certificate.
Does a DBS from a previous job count?
It can, if it is the right level and workforce, and the holder is on the update service so you can check it is still current.
Who pays for the DBS check?
It varies by employer. Some pay for it, others ask the candidate to. Agency arrangements differ, so ask at registration.
How ST HECS handles DBS checks for Luton schools and care settings
Every member of staff ST HECS places in schools, care settings and on cleaning jobs across Luton, Dunstable, Bedford and Hertfordshire has a DBS check before their first shift. We run checks through uCheck, an online DBS checking service. Care and school staff have an Enhanced DBS check with a check of the relevant barred list, and cleaning staff have a Basic or Standard check depending on the site.
If you book staff through us, ask and we will confirm the DBS details for the person we send, including the certificate date, before they start. You can read more about how we vet every member of staff.
DBS checked staff from ST HECS
Every candidate ST HECS places is checked at the level the role requires before they start. We supply care and healthcare staff, school support staff and cleaning teams across Luton and Bedfordshire. Contact our Luton team to talk through your staffing needs.
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