DBS Checks for Charity workers or volunteers don’t need to be a drain on your valuable resources, our DBS checks are free for volunteers, you just pay the admin fee.
DBS Checks For Charities
DBS checks are a type of criminal background check used in England and Wales – they play a vital role in safeguarding vulnerable individuals, helping employers make safe & informed recruitment decisions for their staff, volunteers, and customers.
From as little as £5.00, you can get your DBS certificates for charity workers or volunteers quickly, along with the guidance and support needed to ensure everything is completed correctly.
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, you can easily get a volunteer DBS check for your charity staff and/or volunteers.
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.
DBS Checks for Charity Volunteers: Get Them for Free!
For Volunteers, the cost of DBS Checks for Charities will be far lower than checks for paid staff, since the DBS waives its Application Fees for volunteers applying for Standard and Enhanced checks. This means that only a small admin fee has to be paid. At Aaron’s Department, this fee ranges from £5.00 to £10.95.
What Is a Volunteer?
A volunteer is a person who gives time, effort and talent to a need or a cause without getting any monetary gain from it.
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.
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 £18 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.
Why Choose Aaron’s Department for Your Charities’ DBS Checks?
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.
Our DBS Fees Are Affordable And Easy to Understand
Unlike some other companies, we don’t sneak in any annual fees or mandatory subscription plans. Simply pay for what you need, when you need it.
Not only this, but depending on the number of DBS checks you need for your charity, we will give you free credit – the more checks you pre-pay for, the bigger the discount!
Inbuilt Tracking System
Our user panel has an inbuilt tracking system which enables you to view which stage your application is at, both internally (with Aaron’s Department) and externally (with the DBS). This makes the process transparent and easy-to-follow, from start to finish.
We’re proud of our fast-track guarantee, so we’re mentioning it again:
Many Umbrella Bodies charge exorbitant amounts to fast-track DBS applications – we don’t charge at all. If Aaron’s Department receives a DBS application on a weekday before 4pm, it will be processed and sent on to the DBS the same day. The quicker the DBS gets hold of the application, the quicker it’ll be completed, and the quicker you can get your staff into work!
If our services are what you’ve been looking for, register your organisation below and get started today!