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One of the shortfalls of the DBS check system is that it tends to assume that everyone has a passport, or a photocard driving licence. For individuals who don’t have either of these key identity documents, getting a DBS check is still possible, as there are alternative routes for verifying your identity. Instead of primary documents such as driving licence and passport, alternatives such as a Birth Certificate (issued within 12 months of birth), an Adoption Certificate, or a Biometric Residence Permit (from the UK) can be used.

Background checks have become powerful tools for employers and hiring managers and are becoming increasingly common in a competitive UK jobs market. These checks help verify information, uncover potential discrepancies, and help an employer reduce the risk of hiring someone who can do serious damage to their business. If you’re applying for a new job your employer should explain whether they are doing DBS checks, credit checks or social media checks.

DBS checks are a criminal record background check used in England and Wales when applying for certain categories of job. Not every employer will ask you to get a DBS check, and the level of check will depend on the sort of work you will be doing. The basics of the DBS system are well understood, but when it comes to the detail, many of us have less understanding. One of the main concerns is not about candidates’ own criminal record, but about those of family members or housemates. Can crimes or convictions received by your brother or flatmate affect your own DBS check?

The employment market is more competitive than it has ever been. Job seekers want to make sure that they know exactly what they are letting themselves in for when they accept a new role, and employers are putting more effort than ever into comprehensive background screening to minimise their risk of making a bad recruitment decision. Selecting the right candidate for a job goes beyond just looking at their skills; it involves weighting up factors such as their integrity, reliability, and trustworthiness. Background screening won’t provide you with all of the answers but can reduce the risk for any employer.

When applying for a DBS check, applicants are always asked for specific documents to confirm their identity. The required documents and combinations vary and there are various combinations of documents which can be presented depending on your individual situation. One of the groups which often struggles with getting the right combination of documents are people who are in the UK legally, and have the right to work here, but who are not British citizens.

There are almost 41 million driving licences in the UK. Most of them entitle drivers to use cars or motorbikes, with a smaller number of drivers licensed to drive buses, trucks, or other vehicles. Many of us don’t think much about our driving licences, but those codes on the back can be really important when it comes to applying for a job which involves driving, or access to company vehicles. Driving licence checks are not just for professional driving jobs. It is usually a condition of motor insurance that an employer checks the licences of its drivers, even if they are using their own cars rather than a company vehicle. So, understanding the information contained on your driving licence, and what the codes mean is essential.

The International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC) is an official certificate, similar to an enhanced DBS check. These certificates are for any people who are UK nationals or who have previously lived in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man and want to work with children or vulnerable adults abroad. The system and ICPC certificate aims to safeguard children and vulnerable adults from potential abuse by individuals traveling overseas for employment, volunteering, or charitable activities. The DBS system works well within the UK, but enhanced DBS certificates cannot be produced when applying for positions in other countries.

One of the most common questions about applying for criminal records checks is: “Does a DBS check show debt?” Given the sensitive nature of our personal financial information, it’s understandable that people want to keep it private. With DBS checks needed for work, voluntary and other purposed, it’s a reasonable question to ask about whether your boss will find out about your credit or financial history.

One of the key aspects of any background checking before starting employment is references. Although most of us will have supplied references in the past, or even given a reference to someone who has worked for us, there is a huge level of misunderstanding and myths about references and what they can contain.

Most businesses in the UK, whatever their size, will come across the specific challenges posed by hiring someone who is either not from the UK, or who has lived outside the UK for an extended period. Working out how to run DBS checks on these people can be tricky. Non-UK Criminality Checks, also known as International Criminality Checks, are the only way for an employer to look at any criminal history beyond the United Kingdom.