DBS Digital Identity Verification Guidance

On 17th January 2022, the government released some new guidance which sets out how Registered Bodies and Responsible Organisations (Relying Party’s) can undertake digital identity verification, for the purpose of verifying an individual’s identity, as part of an application for a DBS check.

This guidance sets out the rules and standards to validate a person’s identity, for processing Basic DBS checks and Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred Lists DBS checks when using an IDSP (Identity Service Provider).

Below is a brief overview of the guidance the document contains.

The guidance states that if a Relying Party uses the services of an IDSP to verify identity, then the Relying Party must make sure that the IDSP is:

1. Suitable
2. Provides appropriate training and guidance
3. The IDSP discharges their duties in accordance with DBS’s identity evidence verification criteria.

The guidance also explains that IDSPs carrying out identity verification for DBS checks must demonstrate the following through independent certification:

• Meet the requirements set out in the latest version of the UKDIATF available at the time of certification by an independent body.
• The above certification must demonstrate the information security requirements in 3.1.1 are met.
• The above certification must demonstrate the identity assurance requirements in 3.1.2 are met.
• Compliant with the requirements listed in section 4 (IDSPs, Identity profiles, right to work, additional attributes, required subject information, data retention, choosing an identity profile, reusable identities).

You can read more into the section 4 requirements and further areas of the document on this link which will take you to the .gov website.

Within our FACE-Ed applicant tracking software we provide the fields to record the mandatory information that is required as listed in this document. This is to help clients demonstrate they are collecting the necessary information. FACE-Ed can help you to build, track and complete recruitment campaigns from application to offer. We also mirror this information in SAMpeople, which imports information upon employment from FACE-Ed and can also be used to track the necessary requirements for existing staff checks as well.

If you need any help with DBS checks themselves or you would like more information about SAMpeople or FACE-Ed then please get in touch or call one of the team on 01924 907319.