From 1 August 2026, the Scottish Government will fund Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme application fees for eligible workers joining social care commissioned services in Scotland.
The temporary fee waiver applies to PVG applications received by Disclosure Scotland between 1 August 2026 and 31 July 2027, helping reduce recruitment costs for eligible employers across the private, voluntary and independent sectors.
Who is Eligible?
To qualify for the fee waiver, applicants must:
- Be starting a new job or taking up a new position with their existing employer.
- Apply for a PVG scheme check between 1 August 2026 and 31 July 2027.
- Be working in a new role of:
- Manager
- Supervisor
- Practitioner
- Support Worker
The waiver applies to a range of adult and children’s social care commissioned services, including care homes, care at home services, housing support, day care services, residential school care accommodation, secure accommodation and other eligible services. It also includes qualifying Personal Assistants funded through Self-Directed Support Option 1 or the Independent Living Fund Scotland.
Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) roles are not included within this fee waiver.
A Change Introduced
Employers operating within Scotland’s social care sector should review the eligibility criteria to determine whether upcoming recruits or internal role changes may qualify for the fee waiver before submitting applications.
Need help determining whether your organisation qualifies? Get in touch with our team for guidance on the new PVG fee waiver. DDC operate as a registered Umbrella Body for Disclosure Scotland, processing thousands of checks on behalf of organisations across Scotland.
For full details of the guidance issued by Disclosure Scotland, please refer to the official guidance.
