Who can apply?

CRB checks are not available to all.  An employer is only entitled to ask for a CRB check if the work carried out is listed in the Exceptions Order to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The two main exceptions relate to working with children or working with vulnerable adults.  This means that employers are entitled to find out about all convictions an applicant may have, whether they are ‘spent’ or not.  For further details about this, please see the CRB website.

Organisations can access Disclosure checks by becoming a Registered Body and registering themselves with the CRB.  (To be eligible they must submit a minimum of 100 applications per year.)  Alternatively they can use a third party, called an Umbrella Body, which is registered with the CRB and will process checks on their behalf.  CAS is an Umbrella Body that processes CRB checks on behalf of Christian organisations.