Whether you’re an employer hiring in sectors like healthcare, education, or social care—or an individual applying for a role that involves working with vulnerable people, DBS checks play a crucial part in ensuring safe and trusted recruitment.
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has now published its 2025 to 2028 strategy alongside its 2025 to 2026 business plan, outlining how it will continue to improve the way DBS checks are carried out across England and Wales.
At the heart of the new three-year strategy are five key objectives, guiding the DBS’s work through to 2028:
- Products and Services – Providing accessible, timely, and high-quality DBS checks
- Being Visible, Trusted, and Influential – Strengthening trust with the public and key sectors
- Delivering through Innovative Technology – Improving speed and accuracy through new tech
- Customer Data and Insight Led – Using feedback and data to refine services
- Being People-Focused – Supporting staff and fostering an inclusive DBS culture
Alongside this long-term vision, the DBS’s 2025 to 2026 business plan sets out a focused, practical roadmap for the year ahead. Priorities include:
- Making DBS services more accessible to individuals and organisations
- Strengthening collaboration with external stakeholders
- Improving the quality of the police matching algorithm used during checks
- Using data and customer feedback to enhance services
- Investing further in staff training, learning, and development
These developments mean faster, more accurate, and more user-friendly DBS checks—all while maintaining a strong focus on safeguarding vulnerable people.
If you'd like to read the full strategy and business plan, you can view them here:
👉 DBS 2025 to 2028 Strategy and 2025 to 2026 Business Plan (GOV.UK)