Privacy notice - Submit a basic check application

This privacy notice relates only to requesting a basic DBS check through the Basic Digital Service. The Basic Digital Service is an online application service for a basic DBS check run by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

The notice will explain how the DBS processes, holds and protects your personal data when you apply online for a basic DBS check.

What is personal data?

DBS use the definition of 'personal data' as described by UK GDPR. Personal data is information that is unique to you as an individual. This information can help identify who you are either directly or indirectly.

The Information Commissioner's office (ICO) provides further detailed guidance on what is personal data on their website.

What personal data we’ll ask for and how we use it

The personal data we collect from you includes information you have given us directly:

your names
your date of birth
your addresses
your driving licence details
your passport details
your email address
your mobile phone number
your sex
your national insurance number

It also includes information you have given us indirectly, in particular:

questions, queries or feedback you leave, including your email address if you contact DBS
your postcode if you use the part of our service that includes a postcode lookup function to help you find a UK Post Office that offers the DBS in-branch verification service.
how you use our emails - for example whether you open them and which links you click on
details of which version of web browser you used, and
information on how you use the service, using cookies

We’ll also check your identity and the details you’ve given us with third parties such as GOV.UK One Login, GOV.UK Pay, HM Passport Office and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. We need this information to review and process your application for a basic DBS check certificate and associated online result.

We use software from Google Analytics to collect information about how you use the Basic Digital Service.

Google Analytics is used by the Government Digital Service (GDS) to improve user experience across multiple GOV.UK domains. Your data is collected in line with Google's privacy policy.

The data is anonymised before being used for analytics processing. We do not store your personal information through Google Analytics. We will not identify you through any analytics information and we will not combine this analytics information with other data sets in a way that would identify who you are. We’ll ask you for your permission to use Google Analytics software at the start of your online application. We do this to help:

make sure the service meets the needs of its users
make improvements, for example improving how we ask for your mobile phone number if you’re an overseas applicant

You can read more about this software in our cookies policy.

Why we ask for this personal data

We need your name, date of birth, address, driving licence details, passport details, email address and phone number so that we can review and process your application for a basic DBS check certificate and associated online result.

We need your postcode so we can tell you where your nearest UK Post Office is.

We also collect data in order to:

gather feedback to improve our services, for example our emails
respond to any feedback you send us, if you’ve asked us to
send emails to users who request them
allow you to access our service and make transactions

We’ve included further information you might want to read about what information we need, how we use it and why we ask for it in the Basic DBS check Privacy Policy.

Protecting your personal data and your individual rights

The DBS will protect your data rights in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 in the United Kingdom and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as it is incorporated in the UK. DBS will:

keep your information safe and secure
only ask for what is needed
only keep your information for as long as it's needed

You can read about your individual rights under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the Basic DBS check Privacy Policy.

Information you may need about specific areas of our service

The below sections will give you more information about:

withdrawing your application (cancelling your application)
GOV.UK One Login
proving your identity
payment details
email and text notifications
viewing and sharing online results
information displayed on your online result
third party responsibilities
additional feedback and user research

Withdrawing your application

If you change your mind about applying for a basic DBS check, you can cancel your application at any point until your certificate is printed. If you withdraw your application, the DBS will delete the personal information you provided.

We’ve included further information you might want to read about your rights in the Basic DBS check Privacy Policy.

GOV.UK One Login

To apply for a basic DBS check you must create or sign in to your GOV.UK One Login.

We’ll use the email address and mobile phone number you provide in your GOV.UK One Login as part of your basic DBS check application.

The email address you provide as part of your GOV.UK One Login must be personal to you.

Proving your identity

You can prove your identity online with GOV.UK One Login.

In line with the GOV.UK One Login privacy notice, we will only use certain details you provide in your GOV.UK One Login as part of your application. These include: your name; email address; mobile phone number; date of birth and home address. This information will be provided from GOV.UK One Login to DBS.

We may also gather your passport or driving licence details from your GOV.UK One Login.

The information shared from your GOV.UK One Login cannot be changed in the Basic Digital Service.

If you are unable to prove your identity with GOV.UK One Login, you can use the DBS in-branch verification service to prove your identity in person. This is only available at selected Post Office branches.

If you use the DBS in-branch verification service, we will store your application data for a maximum of 27 days. After this time, we will delete your details. We will keep your name, email address, mobile phone number and e-reference number. We will use these details to send you emails about your application.

Post Office are partnered with identity experts Yoti. Your personal details are only shared with Yoti to carry out your identity check.

We’ve included further information you might want to read about proving your identity in the Basic DBS check Privacy Policy.

Payment details

The payment part of this service is provided by GOV.UK Pay in line with the GOV.UK Pay privacy policy. DBS does not collect or store any of your financial information.

The DBS has access to GOV.UK Pay so that we can resolve customer queries. We can view:

your full name
your email address
the type of card you used
the card’s expiry date
the status of the payment

We cannot view the credit card number or debit card number. We also cannot view the CCV number.

Read the GOV.UK Pay privacy policy if you need more details about how they use, store and protect any information you give them.

We’ve included further information you might want to read about payments in the Basic DBS check Privacy Policy.

Email and text notifications

You provide DBS with your email address and mobile phone number when you fill in your online basic check application.

We send you emails and text messages to:

tell you information about your application
provide you with any relevant links you may need, for example a personalised link that you can use to view the status of your application
send any requested share codes
send you updates about your application
send receipts such as payment receipts

If you provide a temporary email address, you may not receive emails relating to your basic check application.

This emails and text messages service is provided by GOV.UK Notify. DBS does not collect or store any of these text messages. It’s also a tool that helps us resolve customer queries. We can view:

your email address
your mobile phone number

If we need to investigate something about your application then we’ll keep your data until the investigation is over. Once the investigation is complete, we’ll delete your data.

We’ve included further information you might want to read about emails and text messages in the Basic DBS check Privacy Policy.

Viewing and sharing online results

If your check did not reveal police records information, you can view the result online and share it with someone else, like an employer. Online results alone are evidence of a completed basic DBS check. This means an employer does not need to see your paper certificate for your online result to be valid.

If your check reveals police records information, you will not be able to view or share your result online. Your paper certificate will be sent to you in the post.

View your online result

The online result information is accurate to the date the certificate was issued. You can view your result online for up to 12 months from when the certificate is issued.

If you want your basic DBS check information to be removed from the database before the end of that 12 month period, you'll need to contact the DBS helpline on 03000 200 190 (select option 2 and then press 1).

Share your online result

You will receive a one-time share code to send to the person who you want to view the result of your check, alongside an email with instructions on how to share your online result.

You will need to forward the email to the person you want to view your result.

It is important that you send the share code separately. For example, by phone.

We’ve included further information you might want to read about viewing and sharing your online result in the Basic DBS check Privacy Policy.

Information displayed on your online result

There are some differences between the information displayed on your online result and that which is printed on your paper certificate.

Your online result will display less personal information than your paper certificate. For example, your paper certificate will display:

the full postal address you provided in your application
your place of birth
your date of birth
your current and previous names
your sex

Your online result, however, will only display:

your current name
your date of birth
your full current address

Both your online result and paper certificate will display:

the same police records information
your certificate number
the date your certificate was issued

If you're transgender, this means that details revealing your previous identity (for example, your other names and sex) will not appear on your online result. However, they will be printed on your paper certificate.

You can contact the DBS sensitive applications team if you're a transgender applicant and you do not want to reveal details of your previous identity to a potential employer.

Third parties and their responsibilities

If a person wants to view your result again, they'll need to contact you and you'll need to provide them with another share code. They should protect your data rights in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

DBS does not accept responsibility for:

how result information accessed through a share code you've provided is used
who it's shared with
how securely it is held

If you have any concerns about how your information is accessed or used, you must raise these directly with the third party you shared it with (for example, an employer).

We’ve included further information you might want to read about third parties and their responsibilities in the Basic DBS check Privacy Policy.

Additional feedback and user research

We’d like to hear what you think about our service, so we ask for your thoughts through our feedback form. Links to this are on our service pages and through any emails we send.

During feedback, we’ll also ask if you would like to take part in any ongoing user research.

We’ll only contact you about:

your experience of using our service
if you’d like to take part in any surveys

This feedback will be used by DBS and may be shared with other Government organisations we work with to improve services.

We’ll store your details for only 3 months. This includes your email address, as we will use this to contact you. After 3 months we’ll delete your details.

If you change your mind and decide you do not want to take part in any feedback or user research, you should email customerservices@dbs.gov.uk and ask for your details to be deleted. You will no longer be contacted.

We’ve included further information you might want to read about additional feedback and user research in the Basic DBS check Privacy Policy.

Your information may also be used for testing purposes. Testing is undertaken to ensure that our systems function as per specified requirements. If it is not practical to disguise your data or use dummy data, then we will test our system using your data. This testing will only take place in environments that are secured to the same level as our live system.

Please note we may use previous applications you have submitted to assist in the checking process.

Links to other websites

The Basic Digital Service may contain links to other websites.

This privacy notice only applies to the request a basic DBS check service and does not cover other government services and transactions that we link to. These services have their own terms and conditions and privacy policies.

Contact the Data Protection Officer

dbsdataprotection@dbs.gov.uk

Address

DBS Data Protection Officer
Disclosure and Barring Service
PO Box 165
Liverpool
L69 3JD

Make a complaint to the DBS and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

If you wish to make a complaint to us regarding the way in which we have processed your personal data you can make a complaint to the DBS Data Protection Officer above.

If you then remain dissatisfied with the response received, you have the right to lodge a complaint to the ICO.