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A wide range of jobs in the UK require a DBS check, and applying for one is becoming standard practice in many recruitment processes. A DBS check looks into your criminal record, and the level of details disclosed on the certificate will be determined by the type of job you are applying for. Whatever the level of the DBS check, the application route is always the same. First, the applicant completes a form, giving all of their personal information such as date of birth, address history and details of any convictions or cautions. The employer then verifies their identity by looking at a range of documents which prove they are who they say they are. It is at this stage of the process that you might be asked to provide bank statements and utility bills.

The statistics around employment fraud are shocking. Worldwide, 72% of all business fraud cases involve an employee, making financial losses an “inside job”. Managers may be at a bit of the loss about what to do to prevent this situation, apart from checking CVs for lies, and chasing up references. Could a DBS check weed out the fraudsters?

It’s a simple enough question – will a motoring offence appear on my DBS certificate? Unfortunately, the answer is less straightforward. The simple answer is maybe; some offences will appear, and some won’t. If you are worried about your driving record, then it should be relatively easy to work out whether your offences will appear on a certificate.

There is a long list of reasons by why someone might change their given name, surname, or both. Perhaps the most common reason for a name change is because someone has got married or divorced and wishes to change their surname. However, there are lots of other reasons too, ranging from adding another name for religious reasons, or changing the spelling of a name which is complicated to spell or pronounce.

One of the newer roles in the NHS is that of social prescriber, so it’s perhaps understandable that the exact nature of the role and duties are widely misunderstood. If you’re applying for a role as a social prescriber, or have responsibility for recruiting one, here’s everything you need to know about DBS checks and how they might apply in your situation.

Many jobs require a DBS check, and in order to establish whether an individual caution or conviction will appear on the certificate, it’s important to understand the system in general terms and the three levels of disclosure check. In the most basic terms, what shows on your DBS certificate will depend on which level of check you have had.

There are many reasons why someone would be looking for temporary, or casual work rather than a full-time, permanent position. Students looking for part time work, people who are between contracts, or people who are looking for extra work to boost their income on a short-term basis. Recruiters who want to fill a vacancy quickly want someone who can start almost immediately, with the minimum of paperwork. So, what happens with casual roles requiring DBS Checks?

A recent move by authorities in Guildford could drastically change the way in which taxis operate in the borough, and how drivers are licenced. New requirements being introduced mean that drivers will undergo a DBS check twice a year, following guidance set out by the Department of Transport. The council will also require all licenced black cabs and minicabs to be fitted with CCTV equipment, and there will be in addition extra training and vetting for both people running private hire companies, and their staff. More stringent rules about emissions and pollution standards should also ensure that the cabs on the road are cleaner and less polluting than ever to.

One of the most important concepts in DBS checking is whether or not the occupation is exempt, or whether the employer is allowed to ask exempted questions. This topic is related to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, and it might affect anyone who has had a brush with the law – however minor – in the past. It’s not as complicated as it might initially appear.

Anything between a quarter and a third of adult men in the UK have a criminal conviction. In most cases these are for very minor issues, and a “one-off” rather than a pattern of wider offending. Many people who do have a criminal record worry about how it will affect their job prospects going forward. Do you really have to still tell employers about a teenage shoplifting conviction when you’re in your 40s? Unfortunately, the answer’s not as straightforward as you might think.