BPSS is the standard employee background check needed for government employees & contractors in the United Kingdom. It includes many elements such as id and criminal records checks and is the basic requirement for working in and with the public sector.
If you work with the public sector in secure environments then you’ll also need to know about BPSS.
This article is a short manual or guide for employers who are not familiar with BPSS and is designed to give you the information you need to understand whether you can get the accreditation for yourself and your staff.
We will cover the following
• What is BPSS?
• What is included in a BPSS check?
• Who needs a BPSS certificate?
• How long does it last?
• How do employers get BPSS checks done?
What is BPSS?
The Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) is the minimum pre-employment background check for government employees, the armed forces and contractors.
It is designed to ensure that people working in organisations or sectors where they have access to sensitive private information or are able to take control over government assets have a fit and proper character.
The BPSS includes a series of measures designed to reduce the risk of employing people or contracting out services and is a useful way of ensuring consistency between government departments.
What is included in a BPSS check?
RICE is often used to describe what is involved or included in a BPSS check. There are four elements that make up a BPSS check.
• Right to work – we check if candidates are entitled to take up the position as well as check their nationality and immigration status.
• Identity – full ID check.
• Criminal records – BPSS is not the same as a DBS but as part of the checks, we perform a Basic Disclosure showing any unspent convictions.
• Employment history check – confirmation of past three years of employment (minimum) history/activity.
If candidates have spent 6 months or more overseas in the last 3 years they must declare that as well. We have offices in multiple European countries and can easily perform the required International Criminal Record checks.
Who needs a BPSS certificate?
A bpss clearance certificate can be considered as a requirement for anyone employed as a civil servant whether that is permanently or on a temporary basis.
Contractors who work with government departments and their support staff may also need one.
A BPSS check is a part of the security clearance procedure so anyone requiring security clearance will need to obtain a BPSS first.
How long does a BPSS certificate last?
In general terms, there is no expiry date for a BPSS, especially where a person remains employed with the same company or leaves but then returns within a year. However as BPSS is a risk mitigation procedure, employers may want to refresh certain elements periodically.
For example, a DBS check is only valid on the day it is performed and naturally won’t show any convictions after that date, but the government does provide a refresher service that individuals can sign up to. Similarly for foreign nationals, the right to work legislation means that the employer will need to review their right to work in the UK and this is also part of the BPSS
How do employers get BPSS checks done?
To get the best most cost effective BPSS check service visit checkback.co.uk or call us directly on 0144 281 6333 and we will get right back to you.
