Enhanced DBS Checks for Employers and Organisations
Request Enhanced DBS checks online through Employment Tools, a Government Registered Body trusted by thousands of organisations across the UK.
Our platform helps you manage applications, verify identities and track progress in one place, with completed applications received before 4pm checked and submitted to the DBS the same working day.
What does an Enhanced DBS check show?
An Enhanced DBS check can show spent and unspent convictions, cautions and other relevant information held by local police forces. Where the role is legally eligible, it may also include a check of the Children’s Barred List, Adults’ Barred List, or both.
What is an Enhanced DBS check?
An Enhanced DBS check is the highest level of criminal record check available for eligible roles in England and Wales.
It includes the information shown on a Standard DBS check, together with any relevant information held by local police forces that they reasonably believe should be disclosed.
Where the role is legally eligible, the application may also include a check of the Children’s Barred List, Adults’ Barred List, or both.
Enhanced DBS checks are commonly requested for eligible roles involving children, vulnerable adults, healthcare, education and other positions of trust. Eligibility depends on the specific duties being carried out, not simply the job title or sector.
Criminal record information
Relevant spent and unspent convictions, cautions and other information that is not protected from disclosure may appear.
Local police information
Local police forces may include information they reasonably believe is relevant to the role and should be disclosed.
Barred List checks
Checks of the Children’s Barred List, Adults’ Barred List, or both can be included where the duties meet the legal requirements.
Role-based eligibility
Organisations must confirm that the position is legally eligible before requesting an Enhanced DBS check.
Not sure whether the role qualifies?
Eligibility depends on the activities carried out by the applicant. Review the role carefully before selecting the level of DBS check.
What is a DBS Adult First check?
A DBS Adult First check can help eligible care providers make an earlier decision about whether a new applicant may begin work under supervision while their full Enhanced DBS check is still being completed.
Instead of waiting for the full certificate before the applicant can do anything, Adult First provides a preliminary check against the Adults’ Barred List. In many cases, the result is returned quickly and can help you get suitable staff into supervised work sooner.
This can be particularly valuable for care organisations managing staffing pressures, urgent placements or recruitment delays, while still following the required safeguarding process.
Adult First cannot be ordered on its own. It can only be requested alongside an Enhanced DBS check that includes the Adults’ Barred List, and only where the care role is legally eligible.
It is designed specifically for eligible roles involving the care of adults. It is not available for general employment, roles involving children only, or Enhanced DBS checks that do not include the Adults’ Barred List.
Adult First provides one of two preliminary outcomes
The applicant may begin supervised work
Where the result confirms that the applicant may start, the care provider can allow them to begin the eligible role under appropriate supervision while waiting for the full Enhanced DBS certificate.
You must wait for the full DBS certificate
Where the result says to wait, the applicant must not begin the regulated activity. The organisation should wait for the full Enhanced DBS certificate before making a decision.
Adult First is a preliminary result and does not replace the full Enhanced DBS certificate. Any work started before the certificate is issued must remain appropriately supervised.
Speed up DBS checks with Digital ID
Digital ID allows applicants to verify their identity online in just a few minutes, helping to avoid delays caused by arranging appointments, waiting for physical documents or sending copies by email.
It also provides a more secure and robust method of verifying identity. The technology can check identity evidence for signs of tampering, inconsistencies or attempted fraud, including checks against information held within a passport.
Once completed, your organisation receives a Digital ID PDF report to retain with its records, while the result is linked directly to the applicant’s Employment Tools profile.
Who is eligible for an Enhanced DBS check?
Enhanced DBS checks are only available for roles and activities covered by the relevant legislation. An organisation cannot request an Enhanced check simply because it would prefer to see more information about an applicant.
Eligibility is based on the work the applicant will actually carry out. A job title, sector or place of work is not enough on its own to determine whether an Enhanced DBS check can be requested.
Roles involving children, adults receiving health or social care, regulated activity, certain professions, licences and other positions of trust may qualify. The correct level of check depends on the applicant’s specific duties and responsibilities.
In simple terms: the role must be legally eligible for an Enhanced DBS check. Where the duties also meet the relevant requirements, the application may include a check of the Children’s Barred List, Adults’ Barred List, or both.
Roles that may be eligible include:
The following are common areas where Enhanced DBS eligibility may apply. Eligibility must still be considered based on the duties of the individual role.
- Teaching and education roles
- Healthcare professionals
- Care and support roles
- Certain childcare positions
- Some fostering and adoption roles
- Eligible volunteer positions
- Certain licensing applications
- Other specified positions of trust
Where a role is not eligible for a Standard or Enhanced check, an organisation can usually request a Basic DBS check instead. A Basic check can be requested for any lawful purpose and shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions.
Confirm eligibility before submitting the application
Requesting a higher level of DBS check than the role is entitled to receive may result in the application being queried or withdrawn. Employment Tools can help you understand the available guidance, but the organisation remains responsible for confirming that the role is legally eligible.
Why choose Employment Tools for Enhanced DBS checks?
Manage Enhanced DBS checks through an affordable online platform, backed by fast processing, clear tracking and support from a real team – no robots or unhelpful AI!
Completed applications received before 4pm are checked and submitted the same working day
Our team reviews completed applications, raises any issues that need attention and submits complete applications to the DBS as quickly as possible.
This helps keep recruitment moving and reduces avoidable delays caused by missing or incorrect information.
Approved by the Government as a Registered Body
Employment Tools by Aaron’s Department is approved by the Government as a Registered Body and is authorised to process eligible Standard and Enhanced DBS applications.
No sign-up fees or minimum spend
Register for free and only pay for the checks you request. There are no monthly charges or minimum volume commitments.
Affordable pricing with free admin credit
Enhanced DBS administration fees start from just £7.30 plus VAT, with free admin credit helping you reduce the cost further.
Ready to Make Employment Checks Easier?
Register for free, book a demonstration or speak to our team about your organisation’s requirements.
Individuals can now apply for an Enhanced DBS check without an employing organisation
Eligible self-employed people and personal employees can now request an Enhanced DBS check, or an Enhanced DBS check with Barred Lists, through an approved Umbrella Body.
This means an employing organisation does not need to submit the application on their behalf. However, the work must still be legally eligible for the level of check requested.
Looking for your own Enhanced DBS check?
Individual applications are not completed through the Employment Tools platform. Eligible applicants must apply through dbs-check.co.uk, a dedicated service for individuals requesting their own DBS check.
How much does an Enhanced DBS check cost?
An Enhanced DBS check includes the fixed government DBS fee of £49.50, plus an Employment Tools administration fee from just £7.30 plus VAT. There are no sign-up fees, no monthly charges and no minimum spend. You simply pay for the checks you need, making Employment Tools a flexible and affordable option for organisations of all sizes.
Eligible volunteer Enhanced DBS checks do not include the government DBS fee, so you only pay the administration fee. You can reduce this further with our free admin credit. Adult First checks are also available for eligible adult care roles where an organisation needs to establish whether an applicant may begin supervised work while their full Enhanced DBS check is being completed.
| Disclosure Type | Standard Price |
With 10% Free Admin Credit |
With 20% Free Admin Credit |
With 30% Free Admin Credit |
With 40% Free Admin Credit |
With 50% Free Admin Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enhanced DBS Check (DBS Fee: £49.50) | £60.45 | £59.45 | £58.63 | £57.92 | £57.32 | £56.80 |
| Enhanced DBS Check (Volunteer) (DBS Fee: £0.00) | £10.95 | £9.95 | £9.13 | £8.42 | £7.82 | £7.30 |
| Adult First Check (DBS Fee: £6.00) | £11.45 | £10.95 | £10.54 | £10.19 | £9.89 | £9.63 |
| Disclosure Type | Standard Price |
With 10% Free Admin Credit |
With 20% Free Admin Credit |
With 30% Free Admin Credit |
With 40% Free Admin Credit |
With 50% Free Admin Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enhanced DBS Check (DBS Fee: £49.50) | £62.64 | £61.44 | £60.46 | £59.60 | £58.88 | £58.26 |
| Enhanced DBS Check (Volunteer) (DBS Fee: £0.00) | £13.14 | £11.94 | £10.96 | £10.10 | £9.38 | £8.76 |
| Adult First Check (DBS Fee: £6.00) | £12.54 | £11.94 | £11.45 | £11.03 | £10.67 | £10.36 |
How does free admin credit work?
Add funds to your Employment Tools account and receive additional admin credit to use towards future checks. The government DBS fee remains fixed, while free admin credit reduces the effective administration fee.
Ready to Make Employment Checks Easier?
Register for free, book a demonstration or speak to our team about your organisation’s requirements.
How does the Enhanced DBS application process work?
Employment Tools makes it easy to invite applicants, complete identity checks, monitor progress and submit eligible Enhanced DBS applications through one online platform.
Register your organisation for free
Create your Employment Tools account with no sign-up fee, monthly charge or minimum spend. You only pay for the checks you request.
Add your applicant and select the check
Enter the applicant’s details and choose the appropriate level of DBS check based on the duties and legal eligibility of the role.
The online form is completed
Either the applicant or the applying organisation can complete their DBS application.
Complete the identity check
Verify the applicant’s identity using the appropriate DBS route. You can also use a Digital ID check to make the process faster and more convenient.
We review and submit the application
Our team checks the completed application, raises anything that needs attention and submits it to the DBS once it is ready.
Completed before 4pm?
Complete applications received before 4pm, Monday to Friday, are checked and submitted to the DBS that same working day, provided no corrections or further information are required.
Track progress online
See which applicants have started, which applications need action and which checks have been submitted. After submission, the remaining stages and completion time are controlled by the DBS.
The 5 stages of an Enhanced DBS check application
Once your completed application has been checked, countersigned and submitted by Employment Tools, an Enhanced DBS check can progress through up to five stages. The exact stages shown will depend on the type of check requested and whether a Barred List check is included.
Sent to the DBS
The Enhanced DBS application is received and validated by the DBS, where it is checked for errors or missing information.
Police National Computer check
The applicant’s details are checked against the Police National Computer for relevant criminal record information.
Barred List check
Where the application includes an eligible Barred List check, the applicant is checked against the Children’s Barred List, Adults’ Barred List, or both.
Local police checks
Relevant local police forces review their records and decide whether any information should be disclosed in relation to the role being applied for.
Certificate printing and posting
Once the checks are complete, the Enhanced DBS certificate is printed securely and posted directly to the applicant.
The stages completed depend on the level of DBS check requested and whether the relevant Barred List checks are included.
Employment Tools helps you reach Stage 1 quickly
Completed applications received before 4pm, Monday to Friday, are checked and submitted to the DBS on the same working day, provided no corrections or further information are required. Once submitted, the DBS and relevant police forces control the remaining stages and completion time.
Ready to Make Employment Checks Easier?
Register for free, book a demonstration or speak to our team about your organisation’s requirements.
Enhanced DBS Check FAQs
Clear answers to common questions about Enhanced DBS checks, eligibility, costs, Barred Lists, processing times and applying through Employment Tools.
What is an Enhanced DBS check?
An Enhanced DBS check is the highest level of criminal record check available for eligible roles in England and Wales. It shows any relevant spent and unspent convictions, cautions and other information held by local police that they reasonably believe should be disclosed.
Where the duties are legally eligible, the application may also include a check of the Children’s Barred List, Adults’ Barred List, or both.
Who is eligible for an Enhanced DBS check?
Enhanced DBS checks are only available for roles and activities covered by the relevant legislation. Eligibility depends on what the applicant will actually be doing, rather than their job title or sector alone.
Eligible roles may include certain positions involving children, healthcare, social care, regulated activity, specified professions and other positions of trust. Organisations should confirm eligibility before requesting the check.
What is the difference between an Enhanced DBS check and one with Barred Lists?
An Enhanced DBS check includes relevant criminal record information and information that local police reasonably believe should be disclosed.
An Enhanced DBS check with Barred Lists includes the same information, together with a check of the Children’s Barred List, Adults’ Barred List, or both. A Barred List check can only be requested where the duties meet the relevant legal requirements.
A person included on a Barred List must not work, apply to work or volunteer in regulated activity with the group they are barred from working with. It is also a criminal offence for an organisation to knowingly allow a barred person to carry out that regulated activity.
How much does an Enhanced DBS check cost?
The government fee for an Enhanced DBS check is currently £49.50. Employment Tools then charges an administration fee, which starts from £7.30 plus VAT when using the highest level of free admin credit.
There are no sign-up fees, monthly charges or minimum spend. You only pay for the checks you request.
Are Enhanced DBS checks free for volunteers?
The government DBS fee is waived where the applicant meets the DBS definition of a free-of-charge volunteer. The organisation still pays the Employment Tools administration fee.
With Employment Tools, eligible volunteer Enhanced DBS checks start from £7.30 plus VAT. There are no sign-up fees, monthly charges or minimum spend.
How long does an Enhanced DBS check take?
There is no guaranteed completion time for an Enhanced DBS check. Many are completed within around 10 to 14 working days, although some are completed sooner and others can take longer.
Once submitted, the application may need to pass through the Police National Computer, relevant Barred Lists and local police records before the certificate is issued.
Employment Tools checks and submits complete applications received before 4pm, Monday to Friday, on the same working day, provided no corrections or further information are needed. After submission, the remaining stages and completion time are controlled by the DBS and relevant police forces.
Can an individual apply for their own Enhanced DBS check?
Since 21 January 2026, eligible self-employed people and personal employees who are paid for their work can apply for an Enhanced DBS check, including eligible Barred List checks, through a DBS Umbrella Body.
The work must still qualify for the level of check requested. Individuals applying for their own check should use the dedicated service at DBS-Check.co.uk rather than registering through Employment Tools.
What is a DBS Adult First check?
A DBS Adult First check is a preliminary check available for certain eligible adult care roles. It can only be requested alongside an Enhanced DBS check that includes the Adults’ Barred List.
The result may indicate that the applicant can begin work under appropriate supervision while the full Enhanced DBS check continues. Where the result advises the organisation to wait, the applicant must not begin the regulated activity until the full certificate has been considered.
Adult First is not a replacement for the full Enhanced DBS check.
Can an applicant start work before their Enhanced DBS check is complete?
This depends on the role, the organisation’s safeguarding procedures and any applicable legal or regulatory requirements.
For eligible adult care roles, an Adult First result may confirm that the applicant can begin work under appropriate supervision while the full Enhanced DBS check continues. Organisations should not treat Adult First as a completed DBS check.
What documents are needed for an Enhanced DBS check?
Applicants must provide enough information and approved evidence to confirm their identity. This may include documents such as a passport, driving licence or other evidence accepted under the DBS identity-checking routes.
Where suitable, Digital ID verification can make the identity-checking process faster and more convenient. Employment Tools can provide Digital ID checks together with a PDF report for your organisation’s records.
Who receives the Enhanced DBS certificate?
The DBS sends the Enhanced DBS certificate directly to the applicant. The organisation should ask the applicant to provide the original certificate so it can be reviewed and its security features checked.
Employment Tools allows organisations to track the application online, but the full certificate is issued to the applicant rather than the organisation.
Can I track an Enhanced DBS application online?
Yes. Employment Tools allows your organisation to see whether an applicant has started their form, whether any actions remain outstanding and whether the application has been submitted.
Once the application is with the DBS, its progress can also be tracked through the DBS tracking service using the relevant application details.
Can an Enhanced DBS certificate be used for another job?
An organisation may choose to accept an existing certificate, but it must consider whether it is for the correct workforce, level of check and Barred Lists, and whether the information is sufficiently current for the new role.
Applicants can join the DBS Update Service for eligible Standard or Enhanced certificates. With the applicant’s permission, employers can then check whether relevant information has changed since the certificate was issued.
Why use Employment Tools for Enhanced DBS checks?
Employment Tools by Aaron’s Department is approved by the Government as a Registered Body and can process eligible Standard and Enhanced DBS applications.
Organisations benefit from:
- Free registration with no monthly charge or minimum spend
- Administration fees from £7.30 plus VAT
- Same-working-day submission for complete applications received before 4pm
- Digital ID checks
- Automatic applicant reminders
- Clear online progress tracking
- Support from a real dedicated team
Ready to Make Employment Checks Easier?
Register for free, book a demonstration or speak to our team about your organisation’s requirements.
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