We believe the work charities do is vital, and we’re here to support you with fast, affordable, and fully compliant DBS checks, without the stress or hidden fees.
Whether you’re onboarding volunteers or paid staff, our system makes the process simple, and our friendly team is always here to help. We even offer free admin credit to help stretch your budget further and reduce the cost of each check. Every penny counts when you’re doing good.
To top it off, all applicants sent to us before 4pm (Mon-Fri) are sent to the DBS the very same day. Each application is important, and we do all we can to ensure you get a fast result.
DBS Checks For Charities
DBS checks are criminal background checks used across England and Wales. They play a vital role in safeguarding vulnerable individuals and help organisations make safe, informed recruitment decisions for staff, volunteers, and trustees.
If your charity supports children or vulnerable adults, DBS checks aren’t optional – they’re essential. The charity sector, just like any business sector, requires safeguarding measures in the form of DBS checks. Charities with staff that work with children and/or vulnerable adults are required by law to perform DBS checks to determine the suitability of their staff and volunteers.
It is often confusing for charities to determine if their staff need a DBS check, and if they do, what level of disclosure is needed. However, with our bespoke online system and dedicated support, you can easily get a volunteer DBS check for your charity staff and/or volunteers.
See Our System in Action With a Demo
Want to see how our DBS platform actually works?
Book a short demo with one of our experts who will show you the system in real time, walk you through the key features, and answer any questions you may have along the way.
There’s no pressure or commitment – just a helpful, one-to-one look at how we can support you and your charity.
DBS Checks for Charity Volunteers: Get Them for Free!
Standard and Enhanced DBS checks are completely free for volunteers. The DBS waives its fee, so your charity only pays our small admin fee to process the application.
To make things even better, you can cut costs further by taking advantage of our free admin credit. The more you add to your account, the more we give back—up to 50% extra added to your balance, completely free. It’s our way of helping you do more with your budget.
We’re proud to offer a simple way to safeguard your organisation while keeping your budget focused on what matters most. No unnecessary charges, no hidden extras—just the checks you need, at a price built for charities.
Visit our Pricing Page for more info.
Why Charities Choose Aaron’s Department
We’re more than just a DBS provider – we’re one of the most widely used by charities across the UK. We care deeply about the work you do, which is why we go out of our way to keep things affordable, straightforward, and fast, with real people on hand to support you whenever you need us.
As an Umbrella Body, we have a direct connection to the UK Government’s website. All DBS checks will be processed quickly thanks to our system (and our fast-track guarantee), and the DBS Certificate will be returned promptly.
What Is a Volunteer?
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) does not charge for Standard and Enhanced DBS Checks for volunteers. Because of this, it is important for charities to understand the distinction between paid staff and volunteering positions. – A volunteer is a person who gives time, effort and talent to a need or a cause without getting any monetary gain from it.
To be considered as a volunteer, the applicant must not:
- Be undertaking a course of study that will lead to a full-time role/qualification.
- Benefit financially from the position.
- Be on a work placement or in a trainee position.
- Receive any payment except travel and other approved out-of-pocket expenses.
- Be a paid foster carer or a member of a foster care household.
DBS Checks For Charities – Who Needs One?
The applicant’s role and nature of their job will determine which level of DBS check is required.
For example, if a volunteer will be partaking in Regulated Activities with vulnerable adults or children, then an Enhanced DBS check with Barred List will be required. However, someone working in a charity shop would probably only be eligible for a Basic DBS check.
Paid Charity Staff Cannot Get Free Checks
If your charity wants to do the DBS check on a person who is, for all intents and purposes, considered a paid worker, then you must pay both the fee for the DBS checks and the DBS Umbrella Body fees.
The factors that determine if the applicant is eligible for a DBS check are:
- Whether the applicant is working in a field or role that involves engaging in Regulated Activities with children and/or vulnerable adults.
- How often the applicant is in contact with the children or vulnerable adults, regardless of their job role.
- The frequency of any unsupervised contact that may occur.
Basic DBS Checks for Charities
This type of DBS check will display only the unspent convictions of the applicant.
Anyone can apply for a Basic DBS check, for any purpose. For example, it can be requested as a preventive measure when making a hiring decision. Please note that free Basic DBS checks are not available for any charity, and a standard Government fee of £21.50 will have to be applied.
The logic behind the government’s decision here is that, since Basic checks are never a legal requirement, employers and charities can make do without them – so they aren’t offered for free.
Standard DBS Checks for Charities
You can only apply for a Standard DBS check via an Umbrella Body (such as Aaron’s Department) if the position falls under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975).
A Standard DBS certificate contains a filtered list of unspent and spent convictions, final warnings and reprimands from the Police National Computer (PNC).
If you are unsure of which certificate to apply for, please ring us on +44 113 877 0171 or email contact@aaronsdepartment.com, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Enhanced DBS Checks with Barred Lists For Charities
If the charity works with vulnerable groups (children and/or vulnerable adults), then its staff and volunteers will most likely require an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced with the Barred Lists check. This depends on whether some, or all, of the work is considered as a regulated activity. As well as this, the job role they are undertaking must be considered. The type of charity, or what the charity does, doesn’t impact the type of check needed.
If a Barred List check is applied for, the DBS certificate will contain any additional information from the children’s and/or adult’s Barred Lists.
Not sure if you need a Barred List check? Call us on +44 113 877 0171, and we’ll be happy to guide you.
How to Get Started
Whether you want to register and get going today, or book a quick demo to see how it all works, we’re here to make things as easy as possible. Simply click one of the buttons below to get started!
