Enhanced DBS Delays: Causes and How to Avoid Them

Most Enhanced DBS delays are preventable. This article explains how the process works, what causes delays, and what you can do before you submit to avoid them. --- ## How An Enhanced DBS Check Works ### Who Is Involved Zinc collects the application and verifies the candidate's identity documents. We then submit through our submission partner — a third-party provider who handles the formal submission to the DBS on our behalf. Zinc uses this partner while work continues on a full direct DBS integration, which is expected later in the year. Our partner validates the application before passing it to the DBS. In some cases they'll come back to Zinc with a query on eligibility reasoning before submission to the DBS. Where the information is sufficient, they pass the application through without any additional steps. > **What gets passed to the DBS is only:** the job title, the workforces selected, and the relevant barred lists to be searched. The DBS — and the local police stations involved at Stage 4 — do not have access to any background notes or eligibility rationale. **Their only signal is the job title itself.** --- ### The Five Stages | Stage | Name | What happens | |---|---|---| | 1 | Application form received and validated | DBS receives and validates the application | | 2 | Police National Computer Search | DBS searches for any relevant criminal record information | | 3 | Barred List Search | Where applicable, the DBS checks the applicant against the children's and/or adults' barred lists | | **4 ⚠️** | **Records Held by Police Search** | **DBS routes the application to the relevant local police force(s), who search their records for any intelligence to disclose** | | 5 | Certificate Printed | Once all checks are complete, the DBS certificate is printed and issued | **Stage 4 is where most delays happen.** Police forces can and do request additional eligibility information before releasing any intelligence. Because they only see the job title, workforce, and barred lists — not any background context — a vague title at this stage means a query, and a query means delay. **Neither Zinc nor our submission partner can intervene once it is in a police force's hands.** A few things to be aware of at this stage: - An application will only reach a police force if there is a potential match against details held on existing systems — **except** for roles based in the applicant's own home (e.g. foster carers), which are always sent to police regardless of a match - Police may need to gather information from other organisations, and workload varies month by month — so some applications will naturally take longer than others --- ## What Causes Delays? ### Eligibility Queries This is the most common reason for an application to be queried. The DBS cannot tell why the application requires a Standard or Enhanced level check from the information provided. This needs to be clarified before the application proceeds. *Zinc's Customer Success team will contact you directly.* ### Name Discrepancies The name on the application does not exactly match DBS records — for example, a middle name is missing, or a name was changed after marriage or divorce and has not been fully captured. Any name the applicant has ever been known by must be included. *The applicant is contacted directly.* ### Incomplete Address History Gaps in the five-year address history, or addresses listed with insufficient detail. *The applicant is contacted directly.* > **Important:** if the DBS discovers any discrepancies in name or address history, they will withdraw the application without refund. The DBS cannot make amendments post submission — a new application will be required. --- ## Job Titles Job titles on enhanced DBS applications are restricted to **32 characters**. Keep titles concise but descriptive — every character counts. ### What Makes a Good Job Title? A good job title: - Describes what the person actually does - Indicates who they work with (children, adults, or both) - Is specific enough that a police officer reading it would immediately understand the context ### Examples | ❌ Too vague | ✅ Specific (32 chars or fewer) | |---|---| | Education Staff | Teaching Asst, Primary School | | Therapy Staff | Paediatric Occupational Therapist | | Carer | Care Worker, Adults Learning Disab | | Support Worker | Residential Support, Childrens Home | | Healthcare Worker | Community Nurse, Elderly Care | | Volunteer | Classroom Volunteer, Primary Sch | | Staff Member | Nursery Practitioner | For roles involving hands-on care, including 'care' or 'carer' explicitly in the title — e.g. 'Care Worker' rather than 'Support Staff' — removes ambiguity and reduces the likelihood of a Stage 4 query. --- ## Regulated Activity An enhanced DBS check with a Barred List check is only available for roles that constitute regulated activity under UK law. The application needs to make this clear through the workforce selected — and, crucially, the job title. ### Children Regulated activity relating to children includes teaching, training, instructing, caring for, or supervising children; providing personal care; and unsupervised contact in schools, children's homes, or childcare settings. **Frequency threshold:** more than three days in a 30-day period, or between 2am and 6am with the opportunity of contact with children. ### Adults Regulated activity relating to adults includes providing health care; personal care (washing, dressing, toileting); regulated social work; and day-to-day help with running the home due to age, illness, or disability — including managing their cash, paying their bills, or doing their shopping. **Unlike children, there is no frequency threshold for adults.** A single instance of the above can constitute regulated activity. *This is not an exhaustive list. If in doubt, contact your Zinc account manager before submitting.* --- ## Recurring Roles If your organisation regularly onboards people into the same roles — teachers, care workers, volunteers — it is worth investing a few minutes to get the job title and package set up correctly from the start. The same vague title triggering the same Stage 4 query, across multiple candidates, is one of the most common patterns we see. **A fix made once protects every future application.** What you can do: - Review the job titles saved in your Zinc account against the guidance above - Update recurring role titles to be specific and within the 32-character limit - Ask your account manager to review titles with you if you are unsure --- ## If a Check Is Queried or Stalls When the DBS queries an application, it means they have identified something that requires clarification before they can process it further. **This is not an indication that the check will return a concerning result** — it simply means the DBS needs more information. When this happens: - Processing pauses while the DBS awaits a response - Our support team will reach out to you as soon as possible with details of what's needed - You'll either be able to provide the information directly, or collect it from the candidate > Delays in responding to a query will extend the overall turnaround time. The sooner we receive the information, the sooner we can resume processing. ### Steps to Take If a Check Is Taking Longer than Expected 1. **Check the status in Zinc** — log in and review the application status 2. **Contact your Zinc account manager** — your AM can check what is causing the delay and advise on the quickest resolution, including whether a title update will clear it 3. **Do not submit a new application** — resubmitting while a check is still active can cause further delays; resolve the existing query first --- ## Before You Submit: Checklist - [ ] Job title describes the role and who the person works with - [ ] Job title is 32 characters or fewer - [ ] Job title includes relevant context (e.g. 'children', 'elderly', 'school', 'care') - [ ] Correct workforce selected (children, adults, or both) - [ ] Role genuinely involves regulated activity (if requesting a Barred List check) - [ ] Same title format used consistently for all candidates in the same role --- ## Questions? Speak to your Zinc account manager before submitting. A quick conversation upfront is almost always faster than resolving a Stage 4 query after the fact. Your AM can also review the role titles and package names saved on your account to spot any likely to cause issues before your next cohort goes through.