Disclosure Scotland (PVG Scheme)

The cost of a PVG check depends on whether the applicant has joined the scheme previously.

*Organisations must become a qualifying voluntary organisation (QVO) to get free PVG checks for volunteers.

DDC can also provide basic Disclosure Scotland checks which cost £25.00 and includes information on any unspent convictions.

If you are requesting a large volume of checks, please contact one of the team on 0845 644 3298 to discuss the pricing options. Read more about costs and prices.

Each of these documents should give an indication of the type of work that the applicant has registered to provide (Regulated Work with children and/or adults).

1. A PVG Scheme Membership Statement – this document is provided to any applicant that has joined the PVG Scheme either as an individual or through an employer. This document confirms they are a member of the PVG Scheme but does not give any indication if there is anything present on their Certificate (PVG Record). Any applicant can obtain a statement without the need to apply through a Registered Body or employing organisation.
2. A PVG Scheme Record – this document can only be obtained if an applicant has applied through an employer or Registered Body like DDC. Upon application, a PVG Record will be issued to the organisation that countersigned the application, and to the applicant themselves. The PVG Record issued will include all conviction information that Disclosure Scotland has released. If an applicant does not own one of these documents, they have lost their copy or the existing document does not include Regulated Activity with the required groups, the employer should request a new PVG Scheme Record. This will also ‘register the employer’s interest’ in the applicant to ensure they are informed of any future considerations for barring.
3. A PVG Scheme Update – this document will confirm the most recent PVG Scheme Record that was issued (through the document number and issue date) and if that document has changed in any way (e.g. no longer valid or new conviction information has been added). If new information is present on the record this document will not confirm what this information is. The only way to obtain the new information would be to request a new PVG Scheme Record.

The PVG Scheme assesses if an individual, working or intending to work with children and/or vulnerable adults in a ‘Regulated’ role, is suitable. Members receive a Scheme Membership Certificate and, in most circumstances, a Scheme Record listing any spent or unspent criminal convictions received to date. If the individual was barred from undertaking such work they would not be allowed to join the Scheme or, if they were barred subsequent to joining, their membership would be revoked after a period of ‘consideration’.

Eligible applicants can join the PVG Scheme directly and are provided with a Membership Statement confirming their status. This adds them to the PVG Scheme so that their details are updated with any vetting information that is added to their record. Vetting information is defined as conviction information retrieved from criminal justice systems and relevant non-conviction information held by the Police. Disclosure Scotland continue to collect vetting information after a person becomes a PVG Scheme member which ensures that new information can be acted upon promptly. In the vast majority of cases, there will be no new vetting information that is relevant to work with vulnerable groups.

If, after careful assessment a person is considered a risk and, therefore, is unsuitable to work with children and/or protected adults, Disclosure Scotland will list them on one or both of the barred lists. This means that the person will not be able to become a PVG Scheme member. It is also an offence for a barred person – and for an organisation to permit that person – to undertake regulated work.

The e-Bulk system can be used to apply for Standard and Enhanced DBS checks. Basic level disclosure applications are still submitted electronically but via a web service to the DBS and Disclosure Scotland. Unfortunately, there is currently no bulk upload facility for PVG applications. Disclosure Scotland have committed to a modernisation programmes (as of November 2016) which includes allowing PVG applications to be submitted electronically.

There are several key differences between the application for a DBS Disclosure and an application to join the PVG scheme. Below are some of the key differences and the questions an employer should ask before deciding on the correct process:

Where will the applicant be working?

To be eligible for the PVG Scheme the applicant must be working in Scotland and undertaking Regulated Work with children and/or adults. To be eligible for a DBS Check the role must fall within the DBS definition of Regulated Activity and the employment/recruitment decision must be made in England or Wales. The requirements are different between the schemes and please read the corresponding pages for more information.

Continuous Updating

Under the PVG Scheme any employer that has ‘registered an interest’ in an applicant will be informed if they become ‘considered for barring’. They will not be informed if something is added to the applicant’s criminal record.

Who can apply to join the PVG Scheme?

An individual can apply to join the PVG scheme directly to Disclosure Scotland, and receive a Scheme Membership Statement. However an employer/recruiting body should ensure they obtain a Scheme Record for the applicant or a Scheme Update, to ‘register an interest’ in the applicant and received continuous updating information, about consideration for barring. To apply for a Scheme Record, Scheme Update or DBS check an application must be made through a Registered Body (such as DDC Ltd.)

Different types of application form

When an employer is offering an applicant a role undertaking Regulated Activity in Scotland they should ensure they have ‘registered an interest’ in the applicant. There are three different forms that an applicant can complete, based upon their current PVG Status. For more information please read our general PVG Scheme information page. DBS check application forms are identical for all applicants, irrespective of any previous applications.

How long does a PVG Check last?

Both DBS Certificate and PVG Scheme Records are accurate at the point of printing however anything can be added to the individual’s criminal record after that point, that would not be shown on the Certificate. Both systems offer the employer a method of checking if that Certificate is still accurate (through the DBS Update Service or a PVG Scheme Update form) however the PVG Scheme includes continuous updating so that any employer that has registered an interest in an applicant is informed if there is any ‘consideration for barring’. This does not include if anything has been added to a criminal record so employers should decide if or how frequently re-checks are required.