When a DBS check comes back with information on it, both employers and applicants often feel uncertain about what happens next. It is one of the most searched questions in the DBS process — and one of the least clearly answered. Whether you are an employer who has just received a certificate showing a disclosure, or an applicant worried about what your record might mean for a job offer, this guide explains exactly what happens, what the rules require, and what your options are.
Table of Contents
- What Does “Comes Back With Information” Actually Mean?
- Types of Information That Can Appear on a DBS Certificate
- What Employers Must Do When a DBS Check Shows a Disclosure
- The Individual Assessment Process Explained
- When Employers Must Refer Someone to the DBS Barred List
- What Applicants Can Do When a DBS Check Shows Information
- Disputing or Correcting Information on a DBS Certificate
- The DBS Independent Monitor
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Thoughts
When a certificate comes back with information on it: what does this actually mean?
When a DBS check comes back with information on it, it means the certificate contains one or more disclosures — criminal record information relevant to the level of check that was carried out. This is sometimes referred to as a “certificate with information” or a “positive disclosure,” though the latter term can be misleading since the information is not positive in the everyday sense of the word.
The information that appears depends on the level of DBS check requested:
| Check Level | What Can Be Disclosed |
|---|---|
| Basic DBS Check | Unspent convictions only |
| Standard DBS Check | Spent and unspent convictions and cautions, subject to filtering |
| Enhanced DBS Check | All of the above, plus any relevant information held by local police |
Important: A certificate showing information does not automatically mean a job offer must be withdrawn. What happens next depends on the employer’s obligations, the nature of the information, and the role in question.
Types of Information That Can Appear on a DBS Certificate
When a DBS check comes back with information on it, understanding what type of information has appeared is the essential first step for both employers and applicants. The certificate itself will state what has been disclosed.
Convictions and Cautions
These are the most common form of disclosure. A conviction or caution will appear with details including the offence, the date, and the disposal. For a full explanation of how spent and unspent convictions are treated differently across check levels, see our guide to spent and unspent convictions on DBS checks.
Other Relevant Information (ORI)
On Enhanced DBS checks, local police forces can disclose information that does not relate to a conviction or caution — sometimes called Other Relevant Information or ORI. This can include intelligence, allegations that did not lead to a conviction, or other matters a chief police officer considers relevant to the role. This type of disclosure is more subjective and can sometimes be disputed.
Barred List Information
If an Enhanced DBS check with barred list was requested and the applicant appears on the children’s or adults’ barred list, the certificate will state this. This is the most serious form of disclosure and has immediate employment consequences for any role involving regulated activity.
⚠ Barred list disclosure: If an applicant appears on a DBS barred list, it is a criminal offence to employ them in a regulated activity role. This is the only situation where a job offer must be withdrawn immediately without further assessment.
What Employers Must Do When a DBS Check Shows a Disclosure
When a DBS check comes back with information on it, employers have a legal and ethical responsibility to handle the disclosure properly. The most important principle under DBS guidance is that automatic rejection is not acceptable.
Employers are required to carry out an individual assessment of the disclosed information before making any employment decision. The only exception is where an applicant appears on a DBS barred list — in that case, employing them in a regulated activity role is a criminal offence and the position cannot be offered.
For all other disclosures, the employer must:
- Review the information disclosed on the certificate carefully
- Consider the nature of the offence and its relevance to the role
- Consider the time elapsed since the offence occurred
- Consider whether the applicant’s circumstances have changed
- Give the applicant an opportunity to discuss the information before a final decision is made
Policy requirement: Employers should have a written ex-offenders policy in place that sets out how disclosed information will be handled. This is a requirement for organisations registered with the Disclosure and Barring Service as a registered body, and best practice for all employers who carry out DBS checks.
If you need support setting up a compliant DBS checking process for your organisation, our team at APCS is here to help.
The Individual Assessment Process Explained
The individual assessment is the structured process employers should follow when a DBS check comes back with information on it. Rather than making a blanket decision based on the presence of any record, the employer considers a range of factors to reach a fair and legally sound conclusion.
| Factor | What to Consider |
|---|---|
| Relevance to the role | Is the offence directly relevant to the responsibilities of the job? An offence involving harm to a child is always relevant for any role working with children, regardless of how long ago it occurred. |
| Seriousness of the offence | A single minor offence from many years ago is very different from a pattern of serious offending. Consider what the offence was, not just that a conviction exists. |
| Time elapsed | For minor matters, significant time without further offending suggests rehabilitation. For serious offences involving harm to vulnerable people, time elapsed is less determinative. |
| Circumstances at the time | Were there mitigating factors? Has the applicant’s situation changed significantly since the offence? Understanding context matters. |
| Evidence of rehabilitation | Has the applicant demonstrated rehabilitation through stable employment, references, or other means? They should be given the opportunity to provide this context. |
The Nacro employer guidance provides a practical framework for carrying out this assessment fairly and consistently.
When Employers Must Refer Someone to the DBS Barred List
In certain circumstances, employers are legally required — not just permitted — to make a referral to the DBS. This obligation applies regardless of whether a DBS check comes back with information on it through a new application or an Update Service check. Failing to refer when required is a criminal offence.
⚠ Legal obligation: An employer must refer an individual to the DBS if all of the following apply:
- The individual was working — or applying to work — in regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults
- The employer has dismissed the individual, or the individual resigned before dismissal could take place
- The reason for dismissal or resignation relates to conduct that harmed or placed at risk of harm a child or vulnerable adult
Referrals can also be made where an employer would have dismissed the individual had they not left, or where the employer believes the individual has engaged in relevant conduct or presents a risk of harm.
A referral does not automatically result in barring — the DBS carries out its own investigation and makes the decision. But the obligation to refer is serious and employers should not delay when the threshold is met.
For more detail on barred list checks and regulated activity, see our dedicated guide to Enhanced DBS checks and barred lists.
What Applicants Can Do When a DBS Check Shows Information
If your DBS check comes back with information on it, there are several important things to know about your rights and options. Understanding these rights puts you in a much stronger position when navigating the process.
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✓ You have the right to see your certificate first The DBS certificate is issued to you — the applicant — not directly to the employer. You see it first and decide whether to share it. The document legally belongs to you. |
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✓ You have the right to discuss the disclosure Before an employer makes a final decision based on disclosed information, you should be given the opportunity to discuss it with them. If an employer moves to withdraw a job offer without this step, you may wish to raise this formally. |
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✓ You can provide context You are entitled to explain the circumstances of an offence, demonstrate rehabilitation, or highlight mitigating factors. This information should be taken into account as part of the individual assessment. |
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✓ You can request a new check if the information is wrong If the information on your certificate appears to be incorrect — the wrong offence, incorrect personal details, or a matter that should have been filtered — there are formal processes to challenge this, covered in the next section. |
Disputing or Correcting Information on a DBS Certificate
If a DBS check comes back with information on it that you believe is inaccurate, there are two separate routes to challenge it depending on the nature of the error.
Factual Errors — Convictions and Personal Details
If the certificate contains a factual error — such as an incorrect conviction, wrong date, or incorrect personal details — you should contact the DBS directly to raise a dispute. The DBS will investigate and, if the information is confirmed to be incorrect, issue a corrected certificate.
Act quickly: It is important to contact the DBS as soon as possible after receiving the certificate — particularly if a job offer depends on the outcome.
Other Relevant Information — Police Disclosures
If you believe information disclosed by a local police force on an Enhanced certificate is incorrect or should not have been included, the dispute is handled by the police force that provided it — not the DBS. You will need to contact that force directly to raise a challenge. If you are unsure which force disclosed the information, the DBS can direct you to the right place.
The DBS Independent Monitor
The DBS Independent Monitor is an independent reviewer appointed to consider cases where an applicant believes information has been wrongly disclosed on a Standard or Enhanced DBS certificate — specifically where the applicant believes a conviction or caution should have been filtered out but was not.
You can apply to the Independent Monitor if:
- You have received a Standard or Enhanced DBS certificate
- The certificate contains information you believe should have been filtered under the DBS filtering rules
- You applied for the check on or after 29 May 2013
Three-month deadline: Applications to the Independent Monitor must be made within three months of the certificate issue date. If they agree the information should not have been disclosed, the DBS will issue a new certificate. This process does not apply to Other Relevant Information disclosed by police forces — those disputes are handled separately.
For guidance on the filtering rules and what information can be filtered, see our full guide to spent and unspent convictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an employer automatically reject me if my DBS check comes back with information?
No. When a DBS check comes back with information on it, automatic rejection is not permitted under DBS guidance for most disclosures. Employers are required to carry out an individual assessment of the information before making an employment decision. The only exception is where an applicant is found to be on a DBS barred list — in that case, they cannot be employed in a role involving regulated activity.
Who gets to see the DBS certificate first — me or my employer?
The certificate is issued to you — the applicant. You receive it first and choose whether to share it with the employer. In practice, employers will ask to see the original as part of the checking process.
What should I do if I think the information on my DBS certificate is wrong?
Contact the DBS directly as soon as possible to raise a dispute. For factual errors relating to convictions or personal details, the DBS will investigate. For Other Relevant Information provided by a police force, you will need to contact that force directly. If you believe a conviction should have been filtered out, you can apply to the DBS Independent Monitor within three months of the certificate issue date.
Does a DBS disclosure mean I will definitely lose my job offer?
Not necessarily. When a DBS check comes back with information on it, many disclosures do not result in a job offer being withdrawn, particularly where the offence is minor, old, or unrelated to the role. The employer must assess the information individually and give you the opportunity to discuss it before making a final decision.
What happens if someone on the barred list tries to work with children?
It is a criminal offence for a barred individual to apply for, offer to do, or carry out work in regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults. It is also a criminal offence for an employer to knowingly employ a barred person in a regulated activity role. Both carry significant penalties.
Can an employer keep a copy of my DBS certificate?
Employers can retain a record of the certificate details — such as the certificate number, date, and result — but should not retain a physical or digital copy of the full certificate for longer than is necessary. The DBS Code of Practice sets out the requirements around storage, handling, and disposal of certificate information.
What is the DBS Update Service and how does it relate to a disclosure?
The DBS Update Service allows employers to check whether a certificate remains current. If a status check returns “new information available,” it means something has changed since the original certificate was issued — but it does not reveal what. A new DBS application would be required to see the updated information.
Final Thoughts
When a DBS check comes back with information on it, the process does not have to be the end of the road — for either side. For employers, the obligation is clear: assess the information fairly, give the applicant a chance to respond, and make a decision based on the specific circumstances rather than the presence of a record alone. For applicants, understanding your rights — including the right to dispute incorrect information, discuss disclosures with your employer, and apply to the Independent Monitor where appropriate — puts you in a much stronger position.
The DBS system exists to protect vulnerable people, not to permanently exclude anyone who has ever had contact with the criminal justice system. Used properly, it is a fair and proportionate tool for safer recruitment. If you are ever unsure about what to do when a DBS check comes back with information on it, the APCS team is available to guide you through the process.
Need help with DBS checks for your organisation?
At APCS, we process DBS checks for over 19,000 UK organisations and support employers in building compliant, fair, and effective checking processes. Whether you need to apply for a DBS check, understand which level is right for your role, or get advice on handling a disclosure, our team is here to help.
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