The Home Office have announced they are working with Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) create laws and regulations to allow employers to run digital ID checks.
Specifically, the new legislation will allow employers to use Identification Document Validation Technology (IDVT) service providers to run Right to Work and DBS pre-employment checks (and Right to Rent checks for landlords).
Employers will be allowed to use this service from 6th April 2022. At the same time, face-to-face right to work checks, which were due to return on this date, will no longer be necessary.
The long-term aim for the Home Office is to allow employers to perform accurate right to work securely without the need for in-person checks. As a result, it is expected that employers will be able to screen and onboard candidates a lot quicker; a welcome change during an ongoing labour crisis in the UK.
Digital ID – What do employers need to do to prepare?
Employers are recommended to keep abreast of policy paper updates, which are published on the Home Office website, including this IDVT policy paper update.
In the meantime, employers should adopt a digital right to work check process short-term, particularly with the anticipation that in-person checks will be abolished altogether long-term.
To learn more about digital right to work checks from 6th April 2022 and how to prepare, read our article “Digital Right To Work Checks Allowed From 6th April 2022”.
With digital right to work checks in mind, it is also recommended that employers source software from providers who are actively seeking IDVT certification. For more information on software solutions that can help with digital right to work checks (as well as DBS, DVLA, credit, sanctions, etc), please visit https://ebcglobal.co.uk/ to view our pre-employment screening software solutions.
EBC Global are a screening and onboarding software provider based in the UK. We provide all sectors with robust and compliant solutions to keep employees and clients safe from legal, financial, and reputational damage. For more information on EBC Global and our software solutions, please visit https://ebcglobal.co.uk