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Getting a new job doesn’t just involve an investment in your time and effort, it can cost you money too. Very few organisations pay travelling expenses for interviews, you might have to buy a new outfit, take unpaid time off work – it all mounts up. It would therefore be natural to assume that the cost ends when you land your new job, but that’s not always the case. One of the most common expenses for people starting new jobs is getting their DBS certificate. But isn’t this a cost which the employer should be bearing?

Thousands of people up and down the UK volunteer every week. Volunteers help organisations both big and small, and can make a huge difference to their communities. Not all voluntary roles will require a DBS check, and charities have to conform to the same rules as other employers when deciding who needs a certificate. The good news is that volunteers who need a DBS check get their certificates free of charge. The less than great news is that the definition of volunteer isn’t as clear as you might first think.

It sounds like a very easy question; how long can you expect to wait for a DBS certificate to appear in your letterbox after you submit the form? However, there isn’t one simple answer. There are a number of factors which can affect how quickly your certificate comes back, and understanding these factors can help you reduce the time your check takes.

When we talk about the best way to apply for a DBS check, we really mean the fastest way. Everyone wants to speed through their criminal records check as quickly as they can, without any problems and hold-ups along the way. There is a number of options for getting your certificate, but you might not have the choice of all of the options listed below. Check with your employer as they might have their own ideas about how they want things done.

A basic DBS check certificate will list any cautions and unspent convictions which are on someone’s criminal record. This type of check is also sometimes known as a criminal records check, or CRB. In Scotland, basic disclosures are also available, although processed through a separate organisation.

It’s a phrase you’ll often see on job adverts – “pending DBS check”. Jobs which involve working with children and vulnerable adults typically require this sort of check. Disclosure checks look at your criminal record with the aim of stopping people with a lengthy criminal past from getting access to their next set of victims. Employers have to err on the side of caution. Once you’ve completed your application form and submitted it, there’s not much you can do to speed things up. So, are you allowed to start work while you’re waiting for your DBS certificate to drop through the door? That very much depends on the type of job, and the employer.

If you’re in the market for a new job, then you’ll be used to seeing the words “DBS Check” on job adverts. The Disclosure and Barring Service, or DBS, is the government body which runs police checks on people applying for certain jobs. DBS applies in England and Wales only, with similar but separate bodies operating in Scotland and Northern Ireland. There are different levels of DBS checks but perhaps the one which gets most attention is the enhanced DBS check.

Getting a job should mean an improvement to your cash flow, right? Well in the long term that is usually the case. However, in the short term, applying for new jobs can involve shelling out on new clothes for interview, travel expenses to get there and time off from your current job if you don’t have any annual leave. So, it can come as a bit of a shock when the costs continue when you finally secure employment and you’re asked to pay for a DBS check.

Most of us are aware that working in certain occupations is conditional on having your police records checked. Depending where you are in the country, this might be organised through the DBS, PVG or AccessNI. Wherever you are, the system is broadly similar although different terminology might be used. When discussing levels of checks, we’re going to use England and Wales as an example for ease, but these concepts apply equally to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

When you apply for a DBS check, it’s not enough just to fill in the form and send it away. One of the main parts of the process is proving exactly who you are. This needs to be done for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it stops identity thieves from assuming someone else’s identity and getting a bogus DBS certificate. Secondly, and more commonly, it reduces the risk of your record getting mixed up with someone else who has a similar name, location and date of birth. There are however a few rules about documents which you should be aware of.