Can police include information about other people on my DBS?

If your role means that others could have access to vulnerable adults or children in your care then, yes, a background check will be carried out and any information that is relevant disclosed. This is particularly the case in circumstances where childminders or foster carers have partners or older children in the same premises.

What is third party information on a DBS check?

Information can be disclosed on an enhanced DBS check that relates to other people, if the police think that the individual poses a risk and can have access to the vulnerable person. Information can include convictions and cautions, allegations that resulted in No Further Action and any matter that is still under investigation.

How do police decide what to disclose on an enhanced DBS?

When deciding whether to disclose information on your enhanced DBS certificate the police will go through as step-by-step process where they asses whether the information they hold on file is accurate, relevant to the role that has been applied for and whether it is appropriate and proportionate to include that information. This process has a number of steps and one of the things the police will consider is whether to give the opportunity to offer representations against disclosure.

What does an enhanced DBS check show that a standard one doesn’t?

Both certificates show spent and unspent convictions, cautions reprimands and warnings but an enhanced certificate can also show ‘soft’ intelligence that the police have on record. Enhanced checks are usually reserved for those working in regulated activity with vulnerable adults and/or children.

Can third party information stop me working in healthcare?

The disclosure of any information on a DBS check can have a lasting impact on a person’s career once disclosed to an employer. Frustratingly, third party information can appear on an enhanced certificate which can lead an employer to having safeguarding concerns. Whilst any employment decision is solely down to the employer, third party disclosure can put you at risk.

How do I challenge third party information on my DBS?

If there is disclosure on your DBS certificate that you disagree with you can lodge a Certificate Dispute with the DBS. Any dispute needs to be lodged within three months of the date of the DBS certificate. Disputes can be raised for any information that is incorrect such as; 1) your personal information (Name, DOB, Gender etc); 2) inaccurately disclosed criminal records (including third parties); 3) barring records; or, 4) local police records. If you wish to raise a dispute about the information disclosed by the local police force then the application can be passed to the Independent Monitor for review.

What is the relevancy test for police disclosure on a DBS?

The Chief Officer must be satisfied that the information is relevant, reasonable and proportionate, accurate, balanced and fair. If the information is in relation to a third party, the Chief Officer must be satisfied that the third party may have access to children or vulnerable adults through your role. They must consider the human rights of all parties and they must consider whether to offer you the opportunity to make representations against disclosure.

How to Dispute Information on Your DBS Certificate

Written 16th March 2026 by Nathalie Potter

Our DBS team understands how stressful and overwhelming it can feel when information appears on your certificate that you weren’t expecting. We’re here to support you through every step of the process. Many of the people who come to us are facing “minded to bar” investigations, where the DBS may consider preventing them from working in regulated activity with vulnerable adults or children. If this applies to you, please know you’re not alone – we have a detailed guide on minded to bar matters that may help you make sense of the situation.

We also regularly assist clients in challenging information disclosed by the DBS or police where it may not be appropriate, relevant or proportionate to disclose. These matters, often referred to as Reference and Vetting or Certificate Dispute enquiries, can feel particularly unfair when you believe something has been recorded incorrectly or could affect your ability to work. Our role is to help you present your case clearly, calmly and confidently.

Filtering information from a DBS Check

Some offences can be “filtered”, meaning removed from a DBS certificate after a certain period of time, and we can make representations to the police asking them to consider this. These filterable offences include, but aren’t limited to, theft, common assault and minor drugs offences. More serious offences, such as robbery, ABH, sexual offences or safeguarding matters, are classed as nonfilterable.

If you’ve previously received a prison or suspended sentence, we know this may feel especially difficult to navigate. Unfortunately, these sentences can’t be filtered from a DBS Check.

✓ Filterable offences

Theft
Common assault
Soliciting
Most minor drug offences

✕ Not filterable

Robbery
ABH
Sexual offences
Safeguarding offences

* This tool provides general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Filtering rules can be complex, particularly where multiple items appear on your record. For advice specific to your situation, contact Olliers.

Can the police include information about a matter that led to No Further Action (NFA)?

When unexpected information appears on an enhanced DBS certificate, it can be deeply worrying, especially if the disclosure relates to something you believed was resolved, minor, or no longer relevant. Many people are surprised to learn that the police can include “approved information” or soft intelligence, even when no further action was taken. We know how upsetting this can feel, and we want to help you understand why it happens and how you can challenge it.

What information can be disclosed on a DBS Check?

The Chief Police Officer of the relevant force has the discretion to disclose information they believe is appropriate and relevant to the role you’ve applied for. This can include allegations, local intelligence, or matters where you were NFA’d (no further action taken). It’s completely natural to feel shocked or distressed when information like this is disclosed, especially when it could affect a job opportunity or your professional reputation.

However, the police must follow a strict and careful process before deciding to disclose anything. They must be satisfied that:

There is a reasonable basis to believe the information is true,
It is relevant to assessing risk, and
It is relevant to working with vulnerable adults or children.

These decisions should never be taken lightly. The disclosure must be proportionate and must not go beyond what is necessary. If you feel the information is inaccurate, unfair, or no longer relevant, you have every right to challenge it — and we can support you through that.

How will I know if the police are going to disclose information on my DBS Check?

If the police are considering disclosing information, they will likely contact you in the first instance. This is often one of the most stressful moments for clients, especially when the letter seems formal or urgent. Typically, you will be given 14 days to respond. During this time, we can help you put together strong, calm, and structured representations to explain why the information should not be included.

Our goal is to ensure the police fully understand the context, the impact, and the reasons why disclosure may not be reasonable or proportionate in your situation. You do not need to go through this alone – we are here to guide you and help protect your future.

How can Olliers help?

If you receive your enhanced DBS certificate and discover that information has already been disclosed, we can help you challenge the disclosure through the Certificate Dispute process. This involves submitting an application to the DBS along with detailed written representations explaining why the information should not appear on your certificate. Once the DBS receives this, they will forward your representations to the relevant police force and request a full review of the disclosure decision.

Our role is to support you throughout this process with care and clarity. We will:

Listen carefully to your concerns and the impact the disclosure is having on your life, wellbeing, and career.
Prepare strong, compassionate, and structured representations that present your side of the story clearly and persuasively.
Guide you stepbystep so you always know what is happening and what to expect next.
Work to ensure your case is understood in full context, giving you the best possible chance of achieving a fair outcome.

These situations can feel deeply personal and emotionally draining, especially when your future opportunities are at stake. You’re not expected to navigate this alone — we’re here to support you through every step with understanding, expertise, and a calm, reassuring approach.

Some frequently asked questions

How do I dispute info on my DBS certificate?

If there is disclosure on your DBS certificate that you disagree with you can lodge a Certificate Dispute with the DBS. Any dispute needs to be lodged within three months of the date of the DBS certificate. Disputes can be raised for any information that is incorrect such as; your personal information (Name, DOB, Gender etc); inaccurately disclosed criminal records (including third parties); barring records; or, local police records. If you wish to raise a dispute about the information disclosed by the local police force then the application can be passed to the Independent Monitor for review.

What are the DBS filtering rules?

The DBS can filter certain types of offences from a standard or enhanced certificate. Specified offences such as sexual, violent or safeguarding offences will never be filtered, nor will any offence which resulted in a custodial or suspended custodial sentence – these will always be disclosed. Youth cautions, warnings and reprimands will not necessarily be automatically disclosed on a standard or enhanced certificate; it depends on the offence for which they were given. The full list of specified offences can be found here:

Can old convictions that should have been filtered appear on my DBS?

On an enhanced certificate yes! Any information can be disclosed by the police if relevant to the position you are applying for and if the police think it proportionate to do so. It is worth bearing in mind that you can dispute the disclosure via the Certificate Dispute process.

How long does a DBS dispute take?

From our side, we can draft representations within a few weeks, however, the DBS can take many months to consider the application and any supporting documentation. From our previous cases, the DBS are currently taking two to three months to resolve certificate disputes.

What is the Independent Monitor’s role in DBS disputes?

The Independent Monitor deals with certificate dispute referrals, specifically when disputes are raised in relation to information disclosed by local police forces. The IM are responsible for reviewing and determining whether the information disclosed on a DBS certificate is proportion and relevant to disclose. If the IM conclude that information is disproportion or irrelevant they will request the DBS to issue a new and amended certificate.

What happens if my employer sees incorrect DBS information?

If your employer sees incorrect information on your DBS certificate, it can be very distressing. The most important thing is that you have the right to challenge it. You can contact the DBS and begin the official DBS Certificate Dispute process. This allows you to explain what is wrong and provide any evidence you have. The DBS will then investigate and check the information with the police force that provided it.

During this time, you can also tell your employer that you are disputing the accuracy of the certificate. Many employers will pause any decision until the outcome of the dispute is confirmed.

If the information is found to be incorrect, the DBS will amend your certificate and issue a corrected version.

Can I take the DBS to Judicial Review

Yes, it is possible to challenge Disclosure and Barring Service decisions through Judicial Review, but it is usually a last resort. Judicial Review is only available where the DBS has acted unlawfully, irrationally, or unfairly in the way it made its decision. It does not reexamine the facts of the case. Instead, it looks at whether the correct process was followed. At Olliers we do not deal with Judicial Review cases.

Before Judicial Review is considered, you must normally use the DBS dispute process or make representations directly (for example, regarding barring decisions or police disclosure under the “relevant information” test). If these options have been exhausted and you still believe the decision is unlawful, you can seek specialist legal advice about pursuing Judicial Review. Strict time limits apply, usually three months from the date of the decision.

Can a lawyer help me challenge my DBS certificate?

Here at Olliers we can assist by leading you through the certificate dispute process. We have the necessary experience needed to ensure that the best possible argument is put forward to challenge the disclosure. We can advise on evidence and references that may be useful in supporting this application to achieve the best outcome.

What information should be filtered from a DBS check?

Basic Certificate: This is the most basic type of DBS Check and will contain details of convictions and conditional cautions considered to be ‘unspent’ under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Standard Certificate: This DBS check and will show spent and unspent convictions, cautions (unless filtered), reprimands and final warnings.
Enhanced Certificate: This will additionally show any other information held by a police force that is considered relevant to the role applied for.
Enhanced Certificate with Barred List checks: This will also show a list of persons deemed unsuitable to work with children and/or vulnerable adults.

Can allegations that didn’t lead to charges appear on my DBS?

In certain circumstances – yes. If you require an enhanced certificate, the police have the discretion to disclose any other information. They will go through as step-by-step process where The Chief Officer must be satisfied that the information is relevant, reasonable and proportionate, accurate, balanced and fair.

Wrong information on your DBS certificate?

Our DBS lawyers can start the dispute process immediately. If you have received correspondence from the police indicating that they are considering disclosing information on your DBS Certificate, we would suggest that you contact our specialist DBS team on 0161 834 1515, by email to dbs@olliers.com or complete the form below to contact us. We can prepare representations for you for an agreed fee and liaise with the police on your behalf. 

Nathalie Potter

Head of Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Department

Manchester

Head Office

London

Satellite Office

About the Author
Latest Posts

Nathalie Potter( Head of Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Department )

Nathalie is an integral part of Olliers, having been with the firm for more than 17 years and now heads up the DBS department. She is able to guide clients through the process of a DBS barring investigation, the options available if barred and the chances of success in making representations. Nathalie also has specialist knowledge of the police record deletion process. Her team are able to advise on which offences can be deleted and how best to approach record deletion.