Are DBS checks required on an ongoing basis?
A recruiting drive ends, the last contract is signed, and there’s a collective sigh of relief when the stack of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates lands on the HR desk. People forget about compliance for a while, with the belief that the tough work is all done. That sense of closure is tempting, but misplaced.
A DBS certificate is nothing more than a timestamped snapshot; circumstances – and criminal records – can change the very next day. The real challenge is knowing when that snapshot becomes too old to trust and how to refresh it without turning compliance into a full‑time chore.
There’s no set‑in‑stone renewal date
Despite the rumours, UK law does not dictate that all staff must be re‑checked every three or five years. Regulators frame the duty in broader terms: employers must be able to prove the information they hold is still reliable.
When a compliance officer turns up, their first question is simple: “How did you decide your renewal schedule, and where is that written down?” A clear, risk‑based policy earns a nod; a vague answer triggers deeper scrutiny.
If you believe that your industry might have stricter regulations, then it’s worth checking with a background check specialist like Personnel Checks to make sure that what you’re doing is shipshape and Bristol fashion.
Risk plays a big role
Think of two employees. Ellie works night shifts in a care home; she’s alone with residents who have dementia. Greg drives a forklift in a closed warehouse and never meets the public.
Ellie’s role is clearly high‑risk: most providers run her DBS check every three years, often cross‑referencing with the Update Service in between.
Greg’s situation is lower‑risk; many firms re‑check only if he moves into a position with public contact. The point isn’t the number, it’s matching frequency to genuine risk exposure.
The Update Service
Since the DBS introduced its £16‑a‑year Update Service, renewal has become less painful. Once an employee joins, you log in with their certificate number and see instantly whether new information has appeared. If the screen reads that there haven’t been any changes, you can record the date and carry on.
No hassle, no passport scans, no waiting for the post. Most charities and smaller schools now run a calendar reminder: check the dashboard every July, print the confirmation, and attach it to the staff file.
Writing a policy everyone can follow
An effective policy document does three things: lists job categories and their renewal intervals, commits to using the Update Service wherever possible, and explains the process for reviewing any adverse result (who reads it, how the employee can respond, how long records are kept). Keep it to two pages; anything longer gathers digital dust.
DBS compliance isn’t something that you just do once and then forget about. It’s closer to MOTs for company vehicles: routine, risk‑based, and occasionally accelerated by unexpected knocks. Pick intervals that fit each role, back them up with the Update Service, and react quickly when circumstances change. Do that, and your safeguarding picture will stay as sharp as the day the certificate first arrived.
