If you need a CRB check for your staff, but you’re struggling to find anybody who still does them – there’s a good reason for that! In this blog, we’ll discuss what CRB checks are (or, rather, were), and where to get them now.
What is a CRB Check?
A CRB check was a type of criminal record check using the Police National Computer (PNC) to see whether an individual had any relevant caution or convictions, mainly for employment purposes.
What Happened to CRB Checks?
In 2012, the role of providing criminal background checks was transferred from the Criminal Records Bureau to the Disclosure & Barring Service. The DBS, and their DBS checks, are functionally identical to the CRB service which they replaced, so there’s no need for confusion over the differences between the two – there aren’t any!
What Types of CRB Checks are There?
There are three types of CRB checks that people can apply for, although there are some limitations.
What is a Basic CRB Check?
This check shows any unspent convictions the individual has and can be applied for by both individuals and employers.
What is a Standard CRB Check?
Only employers can request this CRB check for their current or potential employees. This level of disclosure shows both unspent and spent convictions for the individual.
What is an Enhanced CRB Check?
Again, this check can be requested only by employers for their staff.
It includes spent and unspent convictions and any information held by Local Police Forces relevant to the check. If legally required, a Children’s and/or Vulnerable Adults Barred List check will be done.
The table below shows the differences between the different levels of CRB check:
What Is The Difference Between the CRB and DBS?
As previously mentioned, the CRB checks are now called DBS checks, or Disclosure and Barring Service Checks.
The only difference between the two is the name and what goes on in the background. You can now only request a DBS check, which is much easier than when you had to apply for CRB and ISA checks separately.
Despite the changes, you get the same details on applicants that you did before. However, if you’d like to read about the history of the two, you can do so in our DBS or CRB – What’s The Difference blog. The table below also offers an at-a-glance summary:
How Much Is A CRB Check?
The price of a CRB check will depend on what level of disclosure you need. Here are the costs of a CRB check at Aaron’s Department:
How Much is a Basic CRB Check?
A Basic CRB costs a government set fee of £18 + an admin fee of £5.45 (+VAT).
The admin fee can also be reduced to as little as £3.11 when you take advantage of our Free Admin Credit Scheme.
How Much is a Standard CRB Check?
A Standard CRB costs a government set fee of £18 + an admin fee of £8.75 (+VAT).
Again, this admin fee can also be reduced to as little as £5.00 when you take advantage of our Free Admin Credit Scheme.
How Much is an Enhanced CRB Check?
An Enhanced CRB costs a government set fee of £38 + an admin fee of £10.95 (+VAT).
You’ve guessed it – this admin fee can also be reduced to as little as £6.26 when you take advantage of our Free Admin Credit Scheme.
How To Get A CRB Check For Your Staff
If you’re an employer who wants to get CRB checks for your staff, you will need to go through a Registered Umbrella Body, such as Aaron’s Department.
Umbrella Bodies act as an intermediary between the employer and the DBS that processes CRB (now DBS) checks.
Get Started
At Aaron’s Department, we have a team of experts who have years of experience dealing with CRB / DBS checking.
If you require any assistance regarding CRB checks when completing your application, don’t hesitate to contact us. We are always happy to help.
You can get started by registering your organisation for free, or learn more by booking a discovery demo using the buttons below.