The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) have announced plans to reduce fees for all DBS criminal record checks in the next few months.
This fee reduction was decided with anticipation that more employers will be conducting DBS checks over the next few years. This is welcome news for employers, who will be able to perform criminal record checks on new starters affordably.
The prices for both Basic and Standard levels are to be reduced by more than 20%; and a 5% reduction for Enhanced level DBS checks.
It should be noted that the price change is subject to approval by Parliament on 16th March 2022. If all goes ahead, the government will reduce fees on all DBS applications submitted from 6th April 2022.
The proposed reductions are:
| Type of DBS Check | Current DBS fee* | Proposed DBS fee from 6th April* |
| Basic DBS Check | £23 | £18 |
| Standard DBS Check | £23 | £18 |
| Enhanced DBS Check | £40 | £38 |
*Prices exclude EBC Global service/administration fees
EBC Global will be passing these savings onto our clients the moment they take effect. This means you will benefit from cheaper criminal record checks without a reduction in the level of service we provide.
If your organisation does not currently run DBS checks on candidates nor employees, you may want to consider adding this in your screening and onboarding procedures.
DBS checks are a quick, cost-effective way of revealing whether your applicant has a criminal record. These checks have helped our clients (and organisations across the UK) protect themselves from financial, legal, and reputational damage.
If you require a system to help you run DBS and other checks, or if you have any general questions, please don’t hesitate to email us at contact@ebcglobal.co.uk
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