The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has announced that the Update Service, which will allow employers to check the status of criminal record checks online, will be launched on 17 June 2013.
Candidates will be able to subscribe to the service for an annual fee of £13, and prospective employers will subsequently be able to check online whether the candidate’s DBS certificate is up to date.
Employers will need to obtain candidates’ consent to do this. They will also need a copy of the original DBS certificate and must be entitled to obtain a DBS check of the level and type that they need. The checking service will be free for employers to use.
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The new service means that individuals will not need to apply for a new DBS certificate each time they apply for a job.
For more detail on the new service, see XpertHR’s coverage of today’s announcement.