By Habeeb Ibrahim
Healthcare workers and other professionals in the UK who require Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for employment will see a rise in fees starting December 2, 2024.
The new fees will set the cost of a Basic and Standard DBS Check at £21.50 each, while an Enhanced DBS Check and Enhanced Check with Barred List(s) will both be £49.50. The Update Service will cost £16 per year.
The DBS, which operates on customer fees to support its services, explained that the updated fees are necessary to cover rising operational expenses and maintain service quality.
Fees are reviewed annually to ensure they reflect the cost of delivering each service. The previous fee adjustment in October 2019 had set Standard checks at £26 and Basic checks at £25, both higher than the new £21.50 rate.
Approved by the DBS board, Home Office, HM Treasury, and the Minister for Safeguarding, the changes aim to sustain DBS’s safeguarding functions, crucial in fields like healthcare and education where protecting vulnerable populations is essential.
