Checking Up On Potential New Recruits In Scotland and England

10th September 2025

Scotland and England have different ways to check the background of new potential employees.

Scotland’s Equivalent: Disclosure Scotland & PVG.

If a suitability decision (e.g., hiring) is being made in Scotland, you must apply through Disclosure Scotland, not the DBS. This applies regardless of where the applicant lives.

For general (Basic) criminal record checks in Scotland, there's Level 1 Disclosure, which is the Scottish name for a basic check.

Scotland doesn’t use a Standard DBS equivalent—instead, Level 2 Disclosure (or Level 2 with Barred List) covers that and more.

For roles working with children or protected adults in Scotland, membership in the PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) scheme is required—this replaces an Enhanced DBS check with barred-list checks.

From 1 April 2025, legal obligations require anyone in a regulated role in Scotland to be a PVG Scheme member. A DBS check is no longer sufficient for these roles.

England
DBS produce new video explaining the online 'request a Basic DBS check' service
DBS have created a new explainer animation video, about the online 'request a Basic DBS check' function.

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has launched a new video for organisations, aiming to raise awareness of the online ‘request a Basic DBS check’ service, and the many benefits it provides.

The video explains the benefits of including Basic checks in the recruitment process, as well as the many advantages of using the online Basic DBS check service to facilitate these checks within your organisation.

The short video explains:

what Basic checks are, and what information they show the benefits of using Basic checks in the recruitment process the benefits of using the online Basic check application route.

You can watch the video to learn more.

To access the Basic Digital Service, as shown in the above video, visit www.gov.uk/request-copy-criminal-record.