Changes to DBS Update Service Process – August 2019
What is the DBS Update service?
The DBS agency provide an online subscription service that allows you to keep your DBS certificate up to date and allows local authorities or employers to conduct checks of your certificates online. The DBS agency charges £13 for this service annually. You can only register with the Update Service:
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within 28 days of making an application for a DBS certificate OR
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within 30 days of the date of issue of your DBS certificate
It is a requirement of being a licensed Hackney or Private Hire Driver with Manchester City Council that you subscribe to this update service. If you do not remain subscribed, you will have to pay a further £40 to obtain a new DBS certificate and register that with the update service. If you fail to do this then you risk your driver licence being suspended and reviewed, and ultimately revoked.
What is changing?
The DBS agency are changing the way they manage their subscriptions to the Update Service.
The DBS agency are no longer allowing third party organisations to sign individuals up to the Update Service on their behalf.
From 1 September 2019, drivers have to register or renew their registration with the online Update Service directly themselves and pay £13 per year directly to the DBS agency.
What does this mean for me?
This means that you now need to ensure that you have registered or renewed your Update Service subscription yourself annually if you don’t do so already (the DBS agency provide an option to automatically renew annually by setting up a direct debit).
It also means you have to log into your own Update Service account and check that the DBS agency have your correct email address (it you initially registered through our provider, CBS Ltd, then this will need to be changed to your personal email address).
What do I need to do now?
You may receive separate correspondence from our DBS service provider, CBS Ltd. If so, please follow the instructions provided.
You need to:
1. You need to log into your Update Service account
2. Log In using your Date of Birth and Update Service ID (this is known as a C-Ref number as it begins with the letter C followed by 10 numbers – it was provided to you in an email by the Licensing Unit when you completed your DBS application)
If you do not know your ID C-Ref number, please contact the DBS directly to obtain this by:
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Calling 03000 200 190 and choosing ‘Update Service’ (menu Option 3)
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You will need the following information:
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Your Full Name (including middle name)
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Date of Birth
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Full Address including Town and City
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You will then be asked for one of the following as an additional security question:
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National Insurance Number, OR
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DVLA driver licence number, OR
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Passport Number, OR
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First line of a previous address
3. Once logged in, check your personal details and ensure that the email address on the account is your own personal email address and change it if it is not correct
4. Check the expiry date of your Update Service subscription, make a note of it and ensure that you renew it annually
What will happen if I don’t do anything?
If you do not ensure that you remain subscribed to the DBS Update Service then your Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Driver licence is at risk and you could find it suspended or revoked. Drivers need to take ownership of registering or renewing their subscriptions from 1 September 2019.
If you do not ensure that the DBS Update Service have your correct personal email address then they will not be able to contact you directly to manage your own subscription and will cancel your Update Service account if this is not actioned by October 2019.