Thousands of employers across the UK process DBS checks for employees every year. The DBS system takes in a wide range of jobs, including healthcare workers, education and nursery staff, some roles in finance and the courts service, and roles in social services or charity work. If you are an employer who is taking on people in a role which requires a DBS check, doing one isn’t optional.
Role of a Registered Body
A registered body is an organisation which is listed with the DBS and licensed to process basic, standard and enhanced DBS checks. These bodies are also sometimes called Umbrella Bodies. Some large employers are registered bodies themselves. Other bodies such as the Scouts, or the Football Association are registered bodies and can provide DBS processing for all the individual Cub packs and football teams running across the UK. Other registered bodies are independent and can offer DBS checking for a range of clients.
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Let's get in touchEach registered body will vary in the range of services it offers to clients. This usually depends on whether they offer services for a specific market, or whether they are a more general organisation. Most Registered Bodies will offer services such as:
If you are an employer which is thinking of using a registered body to process your DBS checks, then you have a wide choice of which organisation to use. There is a list of all approved Registered Bodies on the DBS website, which is where you should begin your search. Some Umbrella Organisations or Registered Bodies specialise in certain markets, or for a specific type of job role. Most will have websites allowing you to see which type of services they offer.
Geographical distance isn’t necessarily an important factor. Nearly all communication with a registered body can be done online or by telephone, so there is no real requirement to just look at organisations which are based in the town or city where you operate.
A quick and reliable way of submitting DBS checks.
Register your organisation within the same day, we will provide you login credentials.
Staff members can start submitting applications immediately. Submit individual or bulk applications on our easy to use platform.
Managers or senior staff members can verify and approve the applications.
Results will appear quickly. Sometimes as fast as 60 minutes! You can also view the results online at anytime on your portal and also receive certificate by post.
As explained above, for many small businesses who would be submitting fewer than 100 DBS checks each year, there is no option to do it yourself. The only way of getting DBS checks done for your staff is to find a registered body which can help you with processing. Larger companies, which would process checks in greater numbers, might still choose to outsource their DBS processing for a number of reasons. Often, Registered Bodies have significant advantages over trying to handle the processing yourself in-house.
Perhaps the main advantage of using a third party to process your DBS checks is the level of expertise offered. Registered bodies – even if they offer other HR related services too – are spending the bulk of their time on DBS applications. However unusual the nature of your business or the circumstances of your workers, the registered body will know how to handle it. This is especially beneficial for companies who employ a lot of students straight from University and who often have a complex address history, or companies employing a high number of overseas workers. There is the option to contact the DBS for help and advice, but this often isn’t instant and having the experts at the end of the phone is a huge advantage to many businesses.
Even when people’s situations aren’t complex, guiding them through the application process while ensuring there are no errors can be time-consuming. Choosing to outsource this job to a specialist third party means you don’t have to waste time sending out forms, checking who has completed them correctly and making sure they are sent off. Any questions about the form, or what to write in the boxes, is handled by the Registered Body. This frees up staff time to be doing other things in your organisation
There is no fast-track option, and Registered Bodies can’t guarantee that they will turn around the certificates in a set period. However, Registered Bodies know the system inside out and can ensure that no applications are submitted which are incorrect, or which omit a key detail. These errors can be caught at an early stage, so when the application arrives at the DBS it should speed through the rest of the system with a minimum of delay.
Most businesses don’t have a steady stream of DBS applications through the year. Many will have peaks and troughs in demand, which makes it difficult to manage the process in-house. Either you employ someone specifically to do the job and risk having them with little to do for parts of the year, or you expect other members of staff to process DBS checks along with their regular work, accepting that other tasks just don’t get done. Outsourcing the process allows your HR or admin staff to continue with their other tasks and projects, while someone else takes charge of the DBS applications. It also means that processing continues throughout the year without delays or hold-ups because a key member of staff is sick or oh holiday and nobody else knows how to manage the DBS applications. This is critical for the success of a business which wants to get workers into roles with a minimum of delay.
Many businesses who don’t use a third party responsible body for their DBS checks wrestle with complex spreadsheets and checklists to keep track of applications as they move through the system. Many are still using old-fashioned paper forms which require photocopying or scanning, then filing. Responsible Bodies typically use a paperless system, starting with an online application portal which links directly into the government’s DBS system. Applicants can fill in the form, submit it to the DBS and verify their identity all from the comfort of their own home. Managers can log into the system and with a few clicks see exactly who has submitted applications and where each check is in the process. This not only cuts down on the amount of paperwork and filing you have in the organisation, but also makes managing the process far easier. You’ll also get a reminder about renewing DBS checks when required rather than having to set manual reminders internally.
Responsible Bodies are also completely up to speed with their obligations under Data Protection and GDPR legislation. Companies using a Registered Body can be sure that their staff’s personal data is being stored properly and securely, and being deleted when no longer relevant. The only piece of paper in most Registered Bodies is the final certificate, which is still sent directly to the applicant from the DBS.
All registered bodies will charge for their services and this is often which puts people off using a third party. However, the cost should be considered against all the other factors including increased efficiency, freeing up staff to get involved in other projects and getting the DBS certificates back more quickly. Larger responsible bodies which submit many thousands of DBS checks every year often qualify for a discount from the DBS, and many pass this on in the form of reduced fees for clients. Given the other advantages such as having a dedicated number to call for an account manager can make using a responsible body a very wise business decision indeed.
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