Disclosure and Barring Update Service (DBS)

In June 2013, the government launched its Update Service, previously called a “Portable DBS/CRB Check” (https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service).

Under this new system, job applicants pay an annual fee of £13 and in return, prospective employers can carry out a search to check that an applicant’s DBS certificate is valid and up to date. The service is free of charge to the employer (effectively paid for by the job applicant).

Information about the cost of DBS checks and the timescale involved can be found at: www.gov.uk/crb-criminal-records-bureau-check.

The progress of DBS checks can be tracked online. People in the workplace as volunteers do not have to pay a fee.