The CRB ID Checking Process

Most of our customers use our Ebulk online facility to submit their Standard and Enhanced applications to us. We have noticed that the designated ‘ID Verifiers’ often ask what are the relevant routes to take when confirming that they have seen and verified the applicants’ ID. When the ID Verifier logs into their account, they will see a list of the applicants’ names whose ID needs to be verified. When you click on the applicants’ account – a list of ID documents appear. You then need to chose which documents you have seen, here are the options:

• 3 documents from group 1
• 2 documents from group 1 and 1 document from group 2
• 1 document from group 1 and 2 documents from group 2

If the applicant has satisfied this route, then the CRB ID checking process is complete.  If the applicant cannot produce a Group 1 document then go to Route Two.

Route Two

If the applicant fails to provide you with ID from the above options, we then need to go to Route 2 – which is an external ID check. If you need to do the Route 2 option, please call the office on 01254 355688 and we will assist you with this. The Route 2 option is when we use an external ID Checking company to search on their system to see if they can Authenticate the applicant. If they can, the application will then be submitted to the DBS for processing. However, anyone who fails to be authenticated by the external ID checking organisation, needs to then follow Route 3 and will need to provide:

Route Three

• Certified copy of a birth certificate (UK and Channel Islands)
• 4 Further documents from Group 2 comprising of:
  • 1 document from Group 2a
  • 3 further documents from group 2a or 2b

What if I cannot establish the applicant’s ID using one of the three routes?

Should the applicant fail to produce the above then a fingerprint test will need to be completed with the police and a paper application completed. Customers should be aware that this will require attendance by the applicant at a Police Station at an appointed time, and may add delay into the overall application process.

If you have any further questions about the CRB ID checking process for Standard and Enhanced checks, please don’t hesitate to call our office on 01254 355688.

Here’s a guide to help you with valid ID Documents needed for a CRB Check

Group 1 – Primary Trusted Identity Credentials

• Current valid Passport – UK or EEA (or Non-EEA in combination with a Biometric Residence Permit or current Work Permit/Visa)
• Biometric Residence Permit (UK)
• Current Driving Licence (UK) (Full or provisional) Isle of Man /Channel Islands;
  • Photo card only (a photo card is only valid if the individual presents it with the associated counterpart licence; except Jersey)
• Birth Certificate (UK & Channel Islands) – issued within 12 months of date of birth;
  • Full or short form acceptable including those issued by UK authorities overseas, such as Embassies, High Commissions and HM Forces

 Group 2a – Trusted Government/State Issued Documents

• Current valid Passport (UK, EEA or Non-EEA)
• Current UK Driving licence (Photo card or old style paper version)
• Biometric Residence Permit (UK)
• Certified copy of Birth Certificate (UK and Channel Islands) – issued after 12 months of date of birth
• Marriage/Civil Partnership Certificate (UK)
• Adoption Certificate (UK)
• HM Forces ID Card (UK)
• Fire Arms Licence (UK)

Group 2b – Financial/Social History Documents

• Mortgage Statement (UK or EEA)** (Non-EEA statements must not be accepted)
• Bank/Building Society Statement (UK or EEA)* (Non-EEA statements must not be accepted)
• Bank/Building Society Account Opening Confirmation Letter (UK)
• Credit Card Statement (UK or EEA)* (Non-EEA statements must not be accepted)
• Financial Statement ** – e.g. pension, endowment, ISA (UK)
• P45/P60 Statement **(UK & Channel Islands)
• Council Tax Statement (UK & Channel Islands) **
• Work Permit/Visa (UK) (UK Residence Permit) **
• Letter of Sponsorship from future employment provider (Non-UK/Non-EEA only – valid only for applicants residing outside of the UK at time of application)
• Utility Bill (UK)* – Not Mobile Telephone
• Benefit Statement* – e.g. Child Allowance, Pension
  • A document from Central/ Local Government/ Government Agency/ Local Authority giving entitlement (UK & Channel Islands)*- e.g. from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Employment Service , Customs & Revenue, Job Centre, Job Centre Plus, Social Security
  • EU National ID Card
  • Cards carrying the PASS accreditation logo (UK and Channel Islands)
  • Letter from Head Teacher or College Principal (16/17 year olds in full time education – only used in exceptional circumstances when all other documents have been exhausted)

Please note:

If a document in the List of Valid Identity Documents is:

• denoted with * – it should be less than three months old
• denoted with ** – it should be issued within the past 12 months
• not denoted – it can be more than 12 months old.

1)         Why is the CRB introducing new and revised identity (ID) checking guidelines?

The Home Office commissioned the CRB to look at a number of options to enhance the ID checking process that customers currently adhere to when establishing an applicant’s identity. The new guidelines have been developed by the CRB to meet the government’s top priority of protecting the public. Reducing the number of documents acceptable for ID verification will reduce people’s ability to use documents that are easily obtained or forged to assert their identity to obtain a CRB certificate, which could be used to secure a position of trust.

2)         How do the changes enhance the CRB identity checking process?

The CRB are tightening up the identity verification procedures used by customers for applicants with the intention to reduce any possible abuse of the system and improve public protection. In particular, these changes will make it more difficult for individuals to conceal previous criminal records by changing their name. The focus will be on ensuring that customers require applicants to produce documents that they would have acquired through undergoing stringent identity verification with the document issuer, such as the Identity and Passport Service or the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. These changes are part of an on-going improvement process that will enable easier detection of undeclared changes of name in the future.

3)         When do the new ID checking guidelines come into force?

The new process will be implemented from the 28 May 2012, with a phasing-in period of three months.  This is to allow organisations time to bring existing processes in to line with the new requirements.  From 31 August 2012, all ID checks should be carried out in line with the new guidance.

4)         Can I still use the existing ID checking guidelines after 28 May 2012?

From 28 May 2012, we would expect organisations to start using the new process.  However, you will be able to continue to use the existing ID checking guidelines until 31 August 2012.  This is to allow time for organisations to train all staff involved in the new ID checking process and make any procedural changes necessary.  We would advise Customers to switch to the new process as soon as they are ready to do so during this period to ensure full compliance by 31 August 2012.

5)         What documents can now be used in the ID checking process?

Please see the enclosed revised ID checking guidance for the complete list of acceptable documents. These are also available from the Home Office website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crb

6)         Have any documents been removed from the current accepted list?

Yes, 21 documents have been removed and are no longer acceptable under the new arrangements. These are:

• NHS Card (UK)
• National Insurance Card (UK)
• Exam Certificates e.g. GCSE, NVQ, O Levels, Degree
• TV Licence
• Insurance Certificate
• Disclosure Scotland Certificate
• CRB Certificate
• Vehicle Registration Document
• Addressed Payslip
• General Medical Council (GMC) Certificate
• Connexions Card
• Mail Order Catalogue Statement/Card Statement
• Store Card Statement
• Court Claim Form (UK)
• Documentation issued by Court Services
• Mobile Phone Bill
• Convention Travel Document (CTD) Blue
• Certificate of Identity (CID) Brown
• Stateless Person’s Document (SPD) Red
• Application Registration Card (ARC)
• Certificate of British Nationality (UK)

This review of acceptable documents is ongoing and we will provide you with further updates as and when any other documents are removed.

7)         Why have you removed these documents?

In line with government policy, the CRB regularly reviews the robustness of these documents used to validate identity. Following careful consideration, it has been agreed that the new accepted document set will provide employers with the most reliable information. By limiting the document list and removing these 21 documents, the CRB has strengthened the identity checking process.

8)         Are there any exceptions?

Yes, for 16/17 year old applicants in full-time education. In the first instance, they are expected to follow Routes One, Two or Three. However, if this is not possible due to a lack of a Group 1 document or employment /financial history, they can use a letter confirming their identity from their Head Teacher or College Principal as a Group 2b document, verifying their name and any other relevant information required e.g. address or date of birth.

9)         What do I do if an applicant cannot provide the required documents?

If you or your ID checker cannot establish an applicant’s identity in accordance with the revised CRB ID guidelines, then you should mark W59 on the application form with a NO.  Applicants who are unable to provide the required documents will then be asked to give their consent to have their fingerprints taken in line with the current procedure. Customers should be aware that this will require attendance by the applicant at a Police Station at an appointed time, and may add delay into the overall application process.

10)       How many applicants could be affected by the change?

Over 90% of applicants should hold a Passport, UK Biometric Resident Permit, GB or NI Driving Licence or Original UK Birth Certificate.  We anticipate that the majority of the remainder will be able to use Route Two or Three as outlined in the revised guidance document. Applicants should only be considered under Route Three, after they have been considered under Routes One and Two and their identity cannot be established. For the small number of applicants who are unable to provide sufficient ID documents in Route Three, they will be required to consent for their fingerprints to be used as per the current process.

11)       Who pays for fingerprinting?

As with the current procedure, there are no costs associated with the fingerprint process for the applicant, or Registered Body.

12)       Will the CRB be communicating this change to applicants? 

All communications relating to these changes will be available from the Home Office website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crb

13)       How does this change affect the CRB Code of Practice?

This change provides enhancements to the ID checking process, which in turn supports the CRB Code of Practice requirement that ‘Customers must accurately and comprehensively verify the identity of the applicant prior to the submission of a CRB application’.

The statutory conditions attached to registration that all Customers must adhere to, is that prior to submitting an application the customer shall verify the identity of the applicant in accordance with the identity checking guidelines issued by the CRB.

Customers must also ensure that ID checkers are trained on the changes and that procedures are updated accordingly.

14)       Where can I go for more information to support me when I am checking an applicant’s documents?

Detailed information is currently available via the Home Office website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crb-id. This website will continue to be updated with any changes to current guidelines.  We will also be providing a variety of scenario-based examples on the website which may be used as a desk aid for anybody involved in the ID checking process.

15)       Do you anticipate that this new process will cause delays to the CRB checking process?

For the majority of cases, we do not envisage you encountering delays in carrying out ID checks as a result of these changes.  Furthermore, we have established a three month phasing-in period to allow both Customers and applicants to ensure that identity checking processes are not adversely affected during this transition.

16)       When will I hear more about this change?

We are planning a series of communications leading up to the go live date of 28 May.  We advise that you regularly check the website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crb for any updates.

17)       Will there be any change to the fee currently charged for a CRB check?

No.  There is no planned fee increase.

18)       Can I use any of the routes to verify the identity of the applicant?

No. The new guidelines clearly state that you need to follow the three-route ID checking process.

ALL Customers must have exhausted Route One and should have endeavoured to have accessed an external validation check (Route Two) before you consider processing them via Route Three.

Revised Identification checking process effective from 28^th May 2012

The applicant must provide a range of ID documents as part of the CRB application process.

Customers must:

• Follow the three route ID checking process as outlined in the guidance using the list of Groups 1; 2a and 2b documents.
• Check and validate the information provided by the applicant on the application form/Continuation sheet.
• Establish the true identity of the applicant through the examination of a range of documents as set out in this guidance.
• Ensure that the applicant provides details of all names by which they have been known.
• Ensure that the applicant provides details of all addresses where they have lived in the last five years.
• Ensure the application form is fully completed and the information it contains is accurate.

If there are any discrepancies in the information provided by the applicant and/or the identity documents supplied, and fraud is not suspected, please seek clarification from the applicant. Failure to do this may compromise the integrity of the CRB service and introduce risk into your recruitment or licensing arrangements.

Customers must not attempt to amend the application form without the applicant’s knowledge and agreement, as it will invalidate the declaration by the applicant and may breach data protection legislation.

Please note that:

• You must only accept valid, current and original documentation.
• You must not accept photocopies.
• You must not accept documentation printed from the internet e.g. internet bank statements.
• Identity information for the applicant’s name, date of birth and address recorded in Section A and Section B on the CRB application form must be validated.
• You should in the first instance, seek documents with photographic identity (e.g. passport, new style driving licence, etc.) and for this to be compared against the applicant’s likeness.
• All documents must be in the applicant’s current name as recorded in Section A (see below for guidance on recent changes of name).
• One document must confirm the applicant’s date of birth as recorded in Section A.
• You must ensure that the applicant declares all previous change of name, and provides documentary proof to support the change of name.
• You must see at least one document to confirm the applicant’s current address as recorded in Section B, which is no older than three months.
• You must provide a full and continuous address history covering the last five years. Where possible you should seek documentation to confirm this address history.
• You should cross-match the applicant’s address history with any other information you have been provided with as part of the recruitment, such as their CV. This can highlight if an address has not been given e.g. if the applicant’s CV shows that they have worked in Liverpool in the last five years but the application form only shows London addresses, you may wish to question the applicant further about this.
• A document from each of the groups should be included only once in the document count e.g. do not accept two bank statements as two of the required documents, if they are from the same bank.
• You should not accept the foreign equivalent of an identity document if that document is listed as ‘(UK)’ on the list of valid identity documents.

Always check for signs of tampering when checking identity documents. Documents should be queried if they display any signs of damage, especially in the areas of personal details such as the name and the photograph. The following guidelines should help you look out for any suspicious signs when authenticating documents.

1 A ) How can I check Driving Licences?

Do not accept licenses, other than those stated in the list of Valid Identity Documents. English, Welsh and Scottish driving licence numbers contain information about the applicant’s name, sex and date of birth. This information is written in a special format but can be gleaned and matched against the information provided by the applicant in Section A.

Please note that the date of birth on English, Welsh and Scottish driving licences, issued before

1977, is not recorded as a separate entry on the licence. The date of birth can be deciphered from the driving licence number and checked against the date of birth field on the application form.

For example the format of the number for Christine Josephine Robinson, born 2 July 1975

R O B  I  N    7 5 7 0  2 5    C J 9 9 9 0 1

N N N N N    Y M M D D Y    I  I C C C C C

• N = 1st five letters of the surname (if the surname begins MAC or MC it is treated as MC for all).
• Y = YEAR of birth.
• M = MONTH of birth (In the case of a female, the number represented by the first M will have the value 5 added to the first digit e.g. a female born in November (i.e. 11) would display ’61′ in the   MM boxes or if born in February (i.e. 02) would display ‘52’).
• D = DAY of month of birth.
  • I = Initial letter of the first two forenames – if only one, then 9 will replace the second letter. If the licence indicates that the applicant has a middle name, ensure that one has been provided in Section A.
  • C = Computer generated.

Please note, for Northern Ireland; Isle of Man and Jersey driving licences the licence number is in a different format. The licence number is unique to the driver and the ‘name’ or ‘date of birth’ validation, as shown above, cannot be used.

1 B) Checking an old style driving licence (no  photograph)

Remove the document from the plastic wallet and check that it is printed on both sides. It should have a watermark visible by holding the licence up to the light and there should be no punctuation marks in the name or address. The ‘Valid To’ date should be the day before the bearer’s 70th birthday (unless the bearer is already over 70).  The ‘Valid To’ date can therefore be cross-referenced with the applicant’s date of birth detailed in Section A.

2) Checking a passport

Check the general quality and condition of the passport. Treat it with suspicion if it is excessively damaged; accidental damage is often used to conceal tampering. Photographs should be examined closely for signs of damage to the laminate or for excessive glue or slitting of the laminate; these signs would indicate photo substitution. If the photograph appears excessively large, this might indicate an attempt to hide another photograph underneath. There should also be an embossed strip embedded into the laminate, which will catch a portion of the photograph.

Check there is no damage to this area. If the passport is from a foreign national, you can still follow the same general procedures as above.

3) Checking a birth certificate

Birth certificates are not evidence of identity, and are easily obtained. Although certificates issued at the time of birth may give more confidence that it belongs to the individual, unlike a recently issued certificate  they will not show if any information has been corrected or superceded  by a new registration.

Check the quality of paper used; genuine certificates use a high grade. There should be a watermark visible when the document is held up to the light.  Any signs of smoothness on the surface would indicate that original text might have been washed or rubbed away. There should be no signs of tampering, changes using liquid paper, overwriting or spelling mistakes.

The following list provides some general information about certificate completion which may help to establish whether the certificate and/or the details have been falsified. This is provided solely as a guide and is not exhaustive:

• The certificate format used should be appropriate for the year of registration.

• Only the surname should be entered in upper case, not the forename(s).

• Dates of birth should be shown with the day and month in words and the year in figures.

The following information might indicate that the certificate has been altered:

• Spacing between falsely added particulars might be irregular compared to original information. ‘Thick’ or ‘thin’ spacing might infer particulars have been added.

• False particulars might not have been aligned with other words.

• Characters may not be of the same size or shape with the rest of the particulars.

• Movement of handwriting may look mechanical and does not flow with the rest of the particulars.

• Changes might not be consistent e.g. parents’ surnames might be altered, but not the signatures.

• The area around falsely added or removed particulars may react differently under an ultra violet light i.e. show signs of staining. In addition, such areas of paper may appear thinner where the paper fibres have been disturbed by abrasion.

4) Checking an EU photo identity card

Examine the card for evidence of photo tampering or any amendment of the printed details.

5) Checking an HM Forces ID card

Examine the card for evidence of photo tampering or any amendment of the printed details.

6) Checking a firearms licence

Check the licence is printed on blue security paper with a Royal crest watermark and a feint pattern stating the words ‘Home Office’. Examine the licence for evidence of photo tampering or any amendment of the printed details, which should include home address and date of birth. The licence should be signed by the holder and bear the authorising signature of the chief of police for the area in which they live, or normally a person to whom his authority has been delegated.

7) Other forms of identification

Ensure all letters and statements are recent, i.e. within a three month period. Do not accept documentation printed from the internet. Check letter headed paper is used, bank headers are correct and all documentation looks genuine. The address should be cross-referenced with that quoted in Section B.

8) What if the applicant has been adopted?

Customers should inform applicants that if they were adopted before the age of 10, they do not need to provide their surname at birth in Section A of the CRB  application form, they should give their adoptive name in this section.

This is because the age of criminal responsibility is deemed to be 10 years, under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, Chapter 12, Section 50. This means that there is no possibility that an individual could have a criminal record in a name that was used until the age of 10.

9) What if the applicant has changed their name recently and cannot provide ID documents in this new name?

Documents in a previous name can be accepted ONLY where the applicant can provide documentation supporting a recent change because of:

• marriage/civil partnership (marriage/civil partnership certificate)
• divorce/civil partnership dissolution (decree absolute/civil partnership dissolution certificate)
• deed poll (Deed Poll certificate)

In these instances, you must:

1. Return a ‘Continuation Sheet’ with the application form clearly stating

• current and previous names
• date of the change
• reason for the change
• the document you have seen to support this change

2. Ensure that all ‘Previous names’ and ‘Dates used’ are recorded in Section A (Additional Personal Details)

10) What should a customer do if they suspect false identity or documents?

If you suspect that you have been presented with a false identity or documents at the time of application, do not proceed with the application process. Please contact Personnel Checks immediately.

21 documents have been removed and are no longer acceptable under the new arrangements.

These are:

• NHS Card (UK)
• National Insurance Card (UK)
• Exam Certificates e.g. GCSE, NVQ, O Levels, Degree
• TV Licence
• Insurance Certificate
• Disclosure Scotland Certificate
• CRB Certificate
• Vehicle Registration Document
• Addressed Payslip
• General Medical Council (GMC) Certificate
• Connexions Card
• Mail Order Catalogue Statement/Card Statement
• Store Card Statement
• Court Claim Form (UK)
• Documentation issued by Court Services
• Mobile Phone Bill
• Convention Travel Document (CTD) Blue
• Certificate of Identity (CID) Brown
• Stateless Person’s Document (SPD) Red
• Application Registration Card (ARC)
• Certificate of British Nationality (UK)

This review of the list of valid ID for CRB Check is ongoing and we will provide you with further updates as and when any other documents are removed.