Quick facts
- A DBS check is a way for employers to check your criminal record, to help decide whether you are a suitable person to work for them.
- DBS stands for the Disclosure and Barring Service, which is the public agency responsible for processing requests for criminal record checks.
- Depending on what kind of job you are applying for, there are four different types of DBS check: basic DBS check, standard DBS check, enhanced DBS check and enhanced DBS with list check.
- A basic or standard DBS check won’t include information about your mental health problem. An enhanced DBS check could include details of any non-conviction information held about you on local police records which the police consider relevant. This may include information about your mental health.
- If you are not happy about the information disclosed in your DBS check, you can ask the Disclosure and Barring Service to carry out a review.
Please note
- This guide aims to provide information about DBS checks for a person with a mental health problem.
- This is not a guide to the jobs that require a DBS check.
- This guide applies to England and Wales.
- This guide contains general legal information, not legal advice. We recommend you get advice from a specialist legal adviser or solicitor who will help you with your individual situation and needs. See Useful contacts for more information.
- The legal information in this guide does not apply to children unless specifically stated.
This information was published in November 2018. We will revise it in 2020.
