Basic DBS
A Basic DBS shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions. It is available for any role and is the typical minimum requested for general construction work in sensitive settings where a higher check is not legally available.
England and Wales Coverage
DBS Checked Construction Workers Across England and Wales
Hard Hat Recruitment supplies DBS checked labourers, trades and site staff for work in schools, healthcare and other sensitive environments across England and Wales. We match the level of check to what the role legally requires. This includes Enhanced DBS labourers and DBS checked tradespeople for schools where the duties are eligible.
Role-appropriate DBS evidence
Right to Work and ID checked
England and Wales coverage
01DBS levels
DBS check levels explained
There are four DBS check options. The lawful level depends on the role and the activity, not simply the type of building.
| Level | What it shows | Who is eligible | Typical construction use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic DBS | Unspent convictions and conditional cautions. | Available for any role. | Typical minimum for general site work in sensitive settings. |
| Standard DBS | Spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, subject to filtering. | Only roles listed in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act Exceptions Order. | Rarely applicable to construction roles. |
| Enhanced DBS | The Standard DBS information plus relevant information held by local police. | Only eligible roles, including some work giving regular opportunity for contact with children or vulnerable adults. | Eligible work in schools, healthcare and care settings where regular contact may occur. |
| Enhanced DBS with barred list check | Enhanced DBS information plus the children's barred list, adults' barred list, or both. | Roles involving regulated activity with children or adults. | Eligible regulated activity on education, healthcare or care sites. |
Standard DBS
A Standard DBS shows spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, subject to filtering. It is only available for roles listed in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act Exceptions Order and is rarely applicable to construction roles.
Enhanced DBS
An Enhanced DBS contains the Standard DBS information plus relevant information held by local police. It is only available for eligible roles, including some work that gives a regular opportunity for contact with children or vulnerable adults.
Enhanced DBS with barred list check
An Enhanced DBS with barred list check also checks the children's barred list, the adults' barred list, or both. It is required for regulated activity. This is what clients often mean by “child protection checked”, but the correct term is Enhanced DBS with barred list check.
Read the official Disclosure and Barring Service guidance on GOV.UK.
02Site requirement
Which DBS level does your site need?
The setting alone does not decide the check. The worker's duties, access and opportunity for contact determine eligibility.
Schools, nurseries and colleges
Under Keeping Children Safe in Education, regulated activity requires an Enhanced DBS with children's barred list check. Regular opportunity for contact requires Enhanced DBS without a barred list check. Work in a segregated area or out of hours may need only Basic DBS, at the school's discretion and under its risk assessment.
Hospitals, clinics and care homes
The eligible workforce depends on the ward, service and duties. A role may fall within the adults' workforce, children's workforce, or both. Barred list checks are only available where the duties amount to regulated activity.
Occupied housing and local authority sites
Occupied housing, supported housing and local authority sites usually require a Basic DBS for general construction work. A higher level may only be requested where the duties are legally eligible.
The client or site owner's safeguarding lead confirms the requirement; we supply workers who meet it.
For schools, see the current Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance.
03Verification
How we verify DBS checked workers
We sight and record the original certificate. The certificate number, issue date and DBS level are held on the worker's compliance record.
Where a worker is subscribed to the DBS Update Service, their certificate status can be checked online with their consent.
DBS certificates have no official expiry date. Many clients apply their own renewal policy, commonly every one to three years, and we work to the client's policy.
DBS verification sits alongside our standard compliance checks: Right to Work, CSCS, identity and role qualifications.
04Workforce
Roles we supply with DBS checks
We match the trade, tickets and experience as well as the DBS requirement.
05Coverage
Where we supply DBS checked workers
We currently supply DBS checked workers throughout England and Wales, which is the area covered by the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Scotland operates a separate system through Disclosure Scotland and the Protecting Vulnerable Groups scheme. We plan to extend our service to Scotland in future, without a fixed date.
Northern Ireland uses AccessNI for criminal record checks.
06Answers
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Basic and an Enhanced DBS check?
A Basic DBS shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions. An Enhanced DBS includes the information shown by a Standard DBS plus relevant information held by local police. A Basic DBS is available for any role. An Enhanced DBS is only available where the role is legally eligible.
Do construction workers need an Enhanced DBS to work in a school?
Not automatically. Under Keeping Children Safe in Education, regulated activity requires an Enhanced DBS with children's barred list check. Work that gives a regular opportunity for contact with children may require an Enhanced DBS without the barred list. Segregated or out-of-hours work may require only a Basic DBS, subject to the school's risk assessment.
What is a children's barred list check?
A children's barred list check establishes whether a person is barred from carrying out regulated activity with children. It is added to an Enhanced DBS only when the role is eligible and involves regulated activity. It cannot lawfully be requested simply because work takes place at a school or another site used by children.
How long does a DBS check last?
A DBS certificate has no official expiry date. It records information available on the date it was issued. Many clients set their own renewal policy, commonly every one to three years. We follow the policy set by the client or site owner and check Update Service status where the worker is subscribed.
What is the DBS Update Service?
The DBS Update Service is an online subscription service that can let an employer check whether the information on an existing Standard or Enhanced DBS certificate has changed. The check must be for the same workforce and level, and the employer must have the worker's consent and be legally entitled to request it.
Can you supply DBS checked workers at short notice?
Availability depends on the trade, location and level of check required. Workers who already hold a suitable certificate can be placed without waiting for a new check. Where a new Enhanced check is needed, timing depends on the DBS and the relevant police forces, which no agency controls. Tell us the level your site requires and we will confirm what is available.
Can a worker start before their DBS certificate arrives?
That is the client's decision under its own risk assessment and, in schools, the supervision rules in Keeping Children Safe in Education. We will not describe or represent a worker as DBS checked until the certificate has been sighted. The client must confirm any interim supervision and access controls before work starts.
Do you supply DBS checked workers outside London?
Yes. We supply DBS checked construction workers throughout England and Wales. This service covers England and Wales. Tell us the site postcode, setting, role, working pattern and required DBS level so that we can match suitable labourers, trades or site staff to the requirement.
Do you supply DBS checked workers in Scotland?
Not yet. Scotland uses Disclosure Scotland and the Protecting Vulnerable Groups scheme rather than DBS. We currently supply this service in England and Wales, and we plan to extend it to Scotland in future. We have not set a launch date and do not currently claim Scottish coverage for checked workers.