Each day organisations welcome new employees in the hope that they will contribute positively and meaningfully to their future and growth. Employees are one of the biggest investments an organisation can make, and therefore the costs of a bad hire slipping through the net should not be underestimated. In fact, according to research, it’s estimated that this cost, could be up to three times the annual salary. That’s £105,000 based on the UK average salary in 2024.
A criminal record check can be a crucial step towards a comprehensive employment screening programme for many organisations. This is particularly the case where a role involves working with vulnerable populations or positions of trust and may include roles for employers within education, healthcare, financial services, and government organisations amongst others.
This can be a great place to start when it comes to mitigating hiring risks, but it may be important to go beyond the first background check and adopt a proactive approach to ongoing monitoring through the DBS Update Service via First Advantage in the UK.
Why is background screening important?
Background screening helps to create safer environments for employees, customers, and partners wherever they may be in the world. First Advantage’s 2025 Global Trends Report found that 48% of customers in Europe, Middle East, and Africa, think managing applicant hiring risk is the most important factor for their background screens.
Each organisation is unique and will require tailored solutions for their hiring process when looking to bring in new employees. There are many types of background checks, from criminal record checks, social media checks or even adverse finance checks that each employer may consider . Each type of check will have specific practical considerations and compliance obligations that must be reviewed and followed by the employer.
While an initial criminal background check provides you with insight into a candidate’s criminal history at that point in time, the DBS Update Service helps to add more granularity. This service can provide HR professionals with the opportunity to update an individual’s record with any relevant findings that may have occurred during this specified period.
Whilst it can be beneficial to conduct an initial criminal check in order to gain a clear understanding of an individual’s criminal history, employers should place an importance on keeping up with the evolving nature of their workforce. A criminal conviction or fraudulent activity may present a red flag, which many organisations may miss because they don’t have an appropriate solution in place.
Maintaining a safer workforce with a DBS Update Service:
Only applicable within England & Wales for Standard and Enhanced disclosures, this DBS Update Service status check notifies employers whether there are updates and whether these alter the status of the DBS certificate.
It’s important to note that the Update Service is linked to a certificate and therefore the check will confirm if any changes have occurred to the status reported on the said certificate.
The DBS Update Service can help you to fulfil your safeguarding duties by maintaining a safe and trusted workforce. The service is a cost-effective way of checking your employees’ criminal record for any changes, allowing you to make informed decisions and act when necessary.
Why might the status of a criminal record change?
After an initial DBS criminal records check is performed, regular monitoring for updates is an efficient and effective mechanism for employers to be kept aware of updates. It’s important to know when there are updates, as these could indicate one of the following has occurred:
- New convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings have been added to police records.
- An amendment has been made by the police to current convictions, cautions, warnings or reprimands.
Without a monitoring service in place, or ordering a new criminal records check, you are reliant on being informed by the employee or police when updates are made. Monitoring helps you proactively manage your risk exposure.
Hiring organisations can carry out a quick online status check to see if an individual’s certificate is still up to date, saving both time and money.
Contact our team today to get started and learn more about how we can help you implement this service.
