We have received an important update from the government regarding the ‘Covid Fast and Free Service’, and we wanted to share it with you. The legislation required to bring the service to a close has been successfully laid in parliament and will come into force on May 11th, 2023.
This means that the final day for receipt of valid Covid Fast and Free applications will be Wednesday, May 10th.
How We’re Responding at Aaron’s Department
To ensure we have time to process the last of the Covid-19 applications, you will no longer be able to apply for free Covid DBS checks through us after 4pm on 08/05/23. This is because we are expecting lots of applications all at once as the cut-off date draws near, and we need to allow plenty of time to process them all before the 10th. The DBS will not accept any Covid applications received on the 11th or after, so we want to ensure none get rejected!
This means that the only Government Fee free applications that are available after the 10th are voluntary roles in accordance with pre-existing guidance, which you can find on the government website. You can read about DBS checks for volunteers here.
In essence, this means we’re back to how we were before Covid. In addition, we are only permitted to use the terms “Covid” or “Coronavirus” in the ‘Position Applied For’ field if they form part of the official job title. Please note that adding these to the job position will not entitle you to a free check.
Children’s Barred List Uncertainty
If you require urgent adult barred list information, you should revert to using the pre-existing Adult First service. However, from May 11th, there remains a legal entitlement to urgent children’s barred list information in extremely limited circumstances where the role is explicitly for the prevention or treatment of Covid-19 in children. Unfortunately, the government has failed to identify any circumstances in which such a service would be required.
If you are an employer that foresees a requirement for urgent children’s barred list information in relation to Covid-19, you should contact DBS via your account manager if you have one, or customerservices@dbs.gov.uk as soon as possible.
Get Free Enhanced Checks For Your Staff While They’re Still Available!
In the meantime, business at Aaron’s Department continues as usual! If you have any staff that are providing healthcare (e.g. a Healthcare Assistant, Support Worker or Nurse), you can take this last opportunity to get a fresh Enhanced DBS check without paying the £38 DBS fee until the 8th of May. We expect to receive lots of applications in the run-up to the deadline as our customers make the most of this offer before it ends, and it’s not hard to see why!
We hope this information has been helpful. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns. You can reach us on +44 113 877 0171 or email us at contact@aaronsdepartment.com.