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Change to DBS update service renewal process
Are you in a volunteering role with us for which a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check was required? This could be your current role, or one you had in the past.
If you’re in England or Wales, you may have given us permission to register you with the DBS update service once your DBS check was completed. Or you may have done the registration yourself. Registering is free for volunteers.
Why is the DBS update service useful?
The DBS update service keeps your DBS certificate up to date so long as your registration’s renewed every year.
This is useful because, as part of our commitment to safeguarding, we renew our DBS checks on volunteers in certain roles every three years.
If you were registered with the update service after a DBS check, all we need to do every three years is ask your permission to run an update service check.
This is much easier than asking you to fill in forms and provide documents for a brand new DBS check.
How update service renewals used to work: No volunteer action needed
If you were registered with the update service after a DBS check, you’ll have received an email from the Disclosure and Barring Service once a year. This email informed you that your update service registration was being automatically renewed. No action on your part was required.
How update service renewals work now: Volunteer action needed!
The Disclosure and Barring Service has changed its policy on yearly renewals. They’ll no longer be automatic. Now, you’ll receive (or may already have received) an email from
The email asks you to click a link and complete a form with your name and DBS certificate number (included in the email) to renew your update service registration for another year.
You have just 14 calendar days to do this. If you don’t, your DBS update service registration will be cancelled. And, if your registration’s cancelled, you’ll need to complete another full DBS check with us once three years have passed since the previous one.
Click the link, complete the form and hit the button to submit it
Please be reassured that the email you receive is not a scam and there’s no risk in clicking on the link. We’ve spoken to the Disclosure and Barring Service and the request is completely legitimate.
We urge you to follow the link and complete the very short form within 14 days of receiving the email. There’s no cost for doing this. Renewing your update service registration and keeping your DBS certificate up to date will make future DBS checks much quicker and simpler for everyone.
Even if you’ve now moved into a role where DBS isn’t required, keeping your update service registration renewed is a good idea in case things change.
Many thanks in advance for your help with this. If you have any questions, please contact the Volunteer Support Team on 0300 500 8084 #3 or [email protected] .
