Explains what a DBS check is, and what you can do if you are unhappy with the information held about you by the police, including information about your mental health.
View this information as a PDF (new window)
A DBS check is a way for employers check your criminal record, to help decide whether you are a suitable person to work for them. This includes deciding whether it is suitable for you to work with children or vulnerable adults.
DBS checks used to be called Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks and you may still see or hear them referred to by this name. DBS checks are carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Depending on what kind of job you are applying for, there are four different types of DBS check:
This is a check of your criminal record which will show details of all spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings held on central police records (apart from protected convictions and cautions) plus additional information held on local police records that is reasonably considered relevant to the job in question.
Visit our full listing of Legal TermsThis is a check of your criminal record which will show details of all spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings held on central police records (apart from protected convictions and cautions).
Visit our full listing of Legal TermsA check of your criminal record which will show your convictions and cautions which are not spent. You can apply for a basic DBS check yourself if you live or work in England or Wales.
Visit our full listing of Legal TermsThis is a check of your criminal record which will show the same as an enhanced DBS check, but will also include a check of the Disclosure and Barring Service’s (DBS) children’s and adults’ barred lists. These are lists of individuals who are barred from working with children or vulnerable adults.
Visit our full listing of Legal TermsThis is a check of your criminal record carried out by the Disclosure and Barring Service. It used to be called a 'CRB check'.
Visit our full listing of Legal TermsThis information was published in November 2018.
This page is currently under review. All content was accurate when published.
References are available on request. If you would like to reproduce any of this information, see our page on permissions and licensing.