The applicant must provide a range of ID documents as part of the DBS check application process. As an employer you must:

• Follow the three route ID checking process as outlined below.
• Check and validate the information provided by the applicant on the application form.
• Establish the true identity of the applicant through the examination of a range of documents as set out in this guidance.
• Make sure the applicant provides details of all names by which they have been known.
• Make sure the applicant provides details of all addresses where they have lived in the last five years.
• Check that the application form is fully completed and the information it contains is accurate. Failing to do this can result in delays.

If there are any discrepancies in the information provided by the applicant and/or the identity documents supplied and fraud is not suspected, please ask the applicant to clarify. Failure to do so may compromise the integrity of the DBS service and introduce risk to your recruitment or licensing arrangements.

As an employer you must not attempt to amend the application form without the applicant’s knowledge and agreement. Doing this will invalidate the declaration by the applicant and may breach data protection legislation.

What you must do as part of the ID checking process

• You must only accept valid, current, and original documentation.
• You must not accept photocopies.
• You must not accept documentation printed from the internet e.g. internet bank statements.
• Identity information for the applicant’s name, date of birth and address on the DBS application form must be validated.
• You should in the first instance, seek documents with photographic identity (e.g. passport, new style driving licence, etc.) and for this to be compared against the applicant’s likeness all documents must be in the applicant’s current name.
• One document must confirm the applicant’s date of birth.
• You must ensure that the applicant declares all previous name changes and provides documentary proof to support the change of name. If the applicant is unable to provide proof to support the change of name, you should hold a probing discussion with the applicant about the reasons why before considering validating their identity.
• You must see at least one document to confirm the applicant’s current address in accordance with the guidance.
• You must provide a full and continuous address history covering the last five years. Where possible you should seek documentation to confirm this address history
• You should crossmatch the applicant’s address history with any other information you have been provided with as part of the recruitment, such as their Curriculum Vitae (CV). This can highlight if an address has not been given. You may wish to question the applicant further about this.
• A document from each of the groups should be included only once in the document count e.g. do not accept two bank statements as two of the required documents, if they are from the same bank.
• You should not accept the foreign equivalent of an identity document if that document is listed as ‘(UK)’ on the list of valid identity documents. The documents needed will depend on the route the application takes. The applicant must try to provide documents from Route 1 first.

It is important to note that a DBS check does not provide evidence of a person’s right to work in the UK. You must do a separate check to make sure a job applicant can work in the UK which also includes roles for voluntary work.

If the applicant is not a national of the UK or the European Economic Area (EEA) they must use a different route to apply for paid work in the UK. They can use Route 1 for voluntary work.

Three routes of ID checking

Route 1

The applicant must be able to show:

• One document from Group 1, see link below
• Two further documents from either Group 1, or Group 2a or 2b, see link below

At least one of the documents must show the applicant’s current address.

If the applicant is not a national of the UK or the EEA and is applying for voluntary work, they may need to be fingerprinted if they cannot show these documents.

Route 2

Route 2 can only be used if it is impossible to process the application through Route 1.

If the applicant is not a national of the UK or the EEA and is applying for voluntary work, they cannot use Route 2.

If the applicant does not have any of the documents in Group 1, then they must be able to show:

• One document from Group 2a see link below
• 2 further documents from either Group 2a or 2b see link below

At least one of the documents must show the applicant’s current address. The organisation conducting their ID check must then also use an appropriate external ID validation service to check the applicant details provided.

EEA nationals who have been resident in the UK for 5 years or less may need to be fingerprinted if they cannot show these documents.

Route 3

Route 3 can only be used if it is impossible to process the application through Routes 1 or 2.

EEA nationals who have been resident in the UK for 5 years or less cannot use Route 3.

For Route 3, the applicant must be able to show:

• a birth certificate issued after the time of birth (UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands)
• one document from Group 2a see link below
• 3 further documents from Group 2a or 2b see link below

At least one of the documents must show the applicant’s current address. If the applicant cannot provide these documents, they may need to be fingerprinted.

Please follow this link for the DBS ID Verifier checking guidelines:

DBS ID Checking Guidelines