Waiting for your DBS/CRB Certificate to be processed can be a frustrating time. This is especially true when you are required to have a Disclosure before starting work or taking up a volunteering role. The length of time taken by the DBS to issue a Certificate is not a sign that there is anything on the Certificate or you have a criminal record.
The DBS follow strict procedures when processing checks and deal with them in purely chronological order. They also have service levels that dictate the process for dealing with slow Disclosures. However, these service levels do not include strict processing time limits, so the waiting period will vary from applicant to applicant. Typical processing times for an Enhanced DBS check is 11 days. The DBS is undertaking a modernization program in 2017 in an attempt to reduce this time-frame.
Why is My DBS Certificate Taking So Long?
From experience, we find that applications take the longest at Stage 4 when they are passed to the Local Police Forces. This process sees the application passed to any of the LPFs in the areas listed within the 5-year address history of the applicant. This means that if an applicant has moved around the UK in the last 5 years the application will need to be passed to several different LPFs. It is also the case that these LPFs can pass the application to another LPF if they feel that they might hold information relevant to that application.
What Can I Do to Speed Up My DBS Application?
As an Umbrella Body DDC is limited in our ability to chase or speed up an application and can only begin a formal process of ‘Escalation’ once the application has been at Stage 4 for 60+ days. As part of the service that we offer, we track the application online to confirm when the application will reach this date and Escalate at the earliest opportunity. Unfortunately, any of the LPFs can raise a query and return the application to the DBS. Once the query has been resolved and the application re-sent to the LPF, their 60 day Service Level Agreement restarts.
What is a Hardship Request?
A hardship request allows an individual to request compensation from the DBS, due to severely delayed applications. The individual must contact the DBS directly to provide additional personal information relating to the value of the hardship, and normally some proof to confirm that value. To begin this process the applicant should contact the DBS directly.
