All professional nannies should hold an enhanced DBS (disclosure and barring service) certificate which is a criminal record check. This should also be registered with the DBS update service, an online system that keeps that certificate valid as an agent such as myself can check the DBS at any time to confirm that there have been no changes to that nanny’s criminal history. 
How much does this currently cost? 
An enhanced DBS certificate costs around £50, depending on the provider I use to process the check. 
If I meet a nanny in person, I use a company called Atlantic Data to process the DBS certificate which costs £49.46 including the postage. 
If I meet a nanny virtually, I use a company called Care Check who can assist with the legal ID verification since I haven’t met the nanny to verify their ID in person. Their DBS check is £50, plus the ID verification which costs £3.85.  
 
It is illegal for an agency to profit from processing DBS checks, so there is no admin fee on top of this. The price you pay is the total cost of the DBS check. 
 
The current price to register with the DBS update service is £13 per year. 
 
What WILL it cost? 
From 2nd December 2024, The DBS are increasing their costs by quite a large margin. The cost of the DBS check will increase by £11.50 (so a rise from £50 to £61.50).  
The cost of the update service will increase from £13 to £16 per year. This is not down to the DBS processing companies but the DBS themselves. 
 
So if you are in need of a new DBS check – my advice would be to do it before December! 
 
Share this post:

Leave a comment: 

On 31st October 2024 at 13:17, Christine Kern wrote:
Thank you for the update about the DBS price increase. Please could I arrange with you to have my DBS check?
Many thanks Christine