Applicant’s Guide to the Criminal Records Bureau's Disclosure Service

The Criminal Records Bureau's Disclosure service provides access to a range of different types of information, such as:

• information held on the Police National Computer (PNC), such as, convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings in England, Wales and those recorded from Scotland. There is also some Northern Ireland conviction data held on PNC
• information held by local police forces relating to relevant non-conviction information
• information from the Government's Protection of Children Act List (PoCA)
• information from the Government's Protection of Vulnerable Adults List (POVA)
• information held by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) under Section 142 of the Education Act 2002 (formerly known as List 99)

Levels of Disclosure

To provide this service, the Criminal Records Bureau offers two levels of Disclosure, each representing a different level of check. The two levels of Disclosure are Standard Disclosure and Enhanced Disclosure.

These Disclosures cannot be obtained by members of the public and are only available to organisations for those professions, offices, employments, work and occupations listed in the Exceptions Order to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

Standard Disclosure

Standard Disclosures are primarily for posts that involve working with children or vulnerable adults. Standard Disclosures may also be issued for people entering certain professions, such as members of the legal and accountancy profession.

If appropriate Standard Disclosures will contain the following:

• details of all convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings held on the Police National Computer (PNC);

and if the position involves working with children or vulnerable adults and the relevant boxes have been marked on the application form to indicate this:

• information from the Protection of Children Act List (PoCA);
• Information from the Protection of Vulnerable Adults List (POVA); and
• Information held by the DfES under Section 142 of the Education Act 2002 of those considered unsuitable or banned from working with children.

Enhanced Disclosure

Enhanced Disclosures are for posts involving a far greater degree of contact with children or vulnerable adults. In general, the type of work will involve regularly caring for, supervising, training or being in sole charge of such people. Examples include Teachers, Scout or Guide leaders. Enhanced Disclosures are also issued for certain statutory purposes such as gaming and lottery licences.

Enhanced Disclosures contain the same information as Standard Disclosures but with the addition of local police force information considered relevant by a Chief Police Officer.

Why might I be asked to apply for a Disclosure?

You might have been asked to apply for a Standard or an Enhanced Disclosure if you will be working:

• with children or vulnerable adults;
• in an establishment that is wholly or mainly for children;
• in healthcare; or
• have applied to be a foster carer, adoptive parent or childminder.

A Disclosure may also be required for a range of other types of job or licences. To find out more please contact the Criminal Records Bureau information line 0870 909 0811 or alternatively visit the Criminal Records Bureau website.

0870 telephone calls are charged at the national rate. All calls will be
recorded for security purposes and may be monitored for training purposes.

Can I refuse to apply for a Disclosure?

Yes. However, there are some posts for which a Disclosure is required by law. If you refuse to apply for a Disclosure in this instance, the organisation would be within their rights not to take your job or licence application any further.

If you are currently working and your employer asks you to apply for a Disclosure, you may be able to refuse if your contract of employment does not refer to a criminal record check.

I already have a Disclosure, can I use it again?

If you are asked to apply for a Disclosure and you already have one for a previous role; ask if the organisation is willing to accept it. When making this decision the organisation will take into account the length of time that has elapsed since that Disclosure was issued; the level of Disclosure; the nature of the position for which the Disclosure was issued; and the nature of the position for which you are now applying. Ultimately, it will be the organisation’s decision whether to accept it or not.

What if I have lived overseas?

If you have lived overseas for a substantial period of time, it may not be worth applying for a Disclosure, as the Criminal Records Bureau does not generally have access to overseas criminal records. However, some organisations have a legal responsibility to check if a person is banned from working with children or vulnerable adults and can only do this through the Disclosure service. The Criminal Records Bureau can also advise on how to obtain equivalent information from the overseas authorities, where available. You may wish to discuss this with your prospective employer.

How much do I pay for my Disclosure?

The Criminal Records Bureau charge a Disclosure application fee, click here for details of current charges.

The British Inline Puck Hockey Association, who are acting as agents on behalf of the Criminal Records Bureau also levy a handling charge (currently £5) to cover the cost of postage onward to the Criminal Records Bureau, and subsequently to return by recorded mail the various documents enclosed with the original application.

If you are a volunteer*, the Criminal Records Bureau will issue the Disclosure free of charge. But the British Inline Puck Hockey Association, who are acting as agents on behalf of the Criminal Records Bureau will levy the previously mentioned handling charge.

* A volunteer can be defined as a person who is engaged in any activity which involves spending time, unpaid (except for travelling and other approved out-of-pocket expenses), doing something which aims to benefit some third party other than or in addition to a close relative.

How do I pay for my Disclosure?

Payment for Disclosure can be made by personal cheque, or postal order (payable to BIPHA). Some organisations may pay for the Disclosure on your behalf. Please check with the person who has asked you to apply for the Disclosure if this is the case.

How will I know which level of Disclosure is required?

The organisation that has asked you to apply will decide the appropriate level of Disclosure for the position.

The British Inline Puck Hockey Association, who are acting as agents on behalf of the Criminal Records Bureau can not offer advice on the levels of disclosure required for individual applications

How do I obtain a Disclosure Application Form?

There are several ways of obtaining a Disclosure application form:

• request an application form from the British Inline Puck Hockey Association using this mailto link.
  This is the preferred and fastest method of obtaining a Disclosure application form.
• telephone the Criminal Records Bureau disclosure application line on 0870 90 90 844, in which case you will need to provide them with Registered Body name and number, which you will need to have obtained from the British Inline Puck Hockey Association, National Secretary, in advance of your call to the CRB Disclosure Application telephone line. or
• complete the application form handed to you by the organisation who asked you to apply.

What information is required to complete the Disclosure Application Form?

Please click here for a list of Do's and Don'ts

Where do I send my completed Disclosure Application Form?

BIPHA, PO Box 641, Rotherham, S60 9BU

Are any enclosures required with my Disclosure Application Form?

Yes, you must prove your identity. Please click here for further information

Who will receive my returned Disclosure?

When the application is processed, the Criminal Records Bureau send out two copies of the Disclosure, which will contain any information revealed during the searches. One copy is sent to you and the other copy to person who countersigned your form.

How do I know that the information contained on my Disclosure will remain confidential?

Organisations using the Disclosure service must comply with the Criminal Records Bureau Code of Practice, which is there to make sure the whole process works fairly and that any information revealed is treated fairly and securely. Also, the Criminal Records Bureau is committed to compliance with the Data Protection Act. This means that any personal information that you submit to us will be protected.

Under the provisions of the Code, sensitive personal information must be handled and stored appropriately and must be kept for only as long as it is necessary. The Code is published on the Criminal Records Bureau website, or you can view our Code of Practice here

What if I have a criminal record that may not be relevant to the position for which I am applying?

Safeguards and guidelines have been introduced to ensure that conviction information is not misused and that ex-offenders are not treated unfairly. Ex-offenders will retain the protection afforded by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. In addition, the Criminal Records Bureau and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD ) have developed guidance information for employers on this matter.

What if things go wrong?

The Criminal Records Bureau has established a comprehensive complaints process and as part of their commitment to provide a high standard of customer service they will always:

• act fairly and impartially
• communicate effectively
• deal promptly with all enquiries
• endeavour to learn from their mistakes

For how long will Disclosures be valid?

Each Disclosure will show the date on which it was printed. Disclosures do not carry a pre-determined period of validity because a conviction or other matter could be recorded against the subject of the Disclosure at any time after it is issued.