The Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) is a set of controls designed to establish the reliability of potential employees. It is the recognized standard for pre-employment evaluation of people with access to government assets. The cost of a BPSS test is 115.00 pounds sterling per application and the average response time is 7 to 10 working days. The main purpose of the BPSS authorization, according to the HMG guidance, is to act as a sensible and precautionary measure aimed at confirming the identity of individuals (employees and contractors) and providing a level of assurance as to their reliability, integrity, and trustworthiness.
It is not a formal security authorization, but its rigorous and consistent application underpins the national security background investigation process at the CTC, Level 1B, SC, and DV. To obtain BPSS authorization, you must undergo a BPSS check. This UK background check was created to help reduce the risk of illegal workers and combat identity fraud. However, only an employer can request that the BPSS checks be carried out.
The responsibility for applying BPSS controls to a candidate generally lies with the human resources function, although the government recommends that human resources work in conjunction with security units and, if possible, with the participation of legal advisors and procurement staff. When people move from one company to another, the new employer may accept an existing BPSS in some circumstances. However, since employers are legally required to carry out most of the elements such as identification, right to work verification, and immigration status verification, it makes sense to do it all over again. This will usually be faster than relying on an existing BPSS check.
The new company must also ensure that the information disclosed in the BPSS check can be protected and restricted. Recently, CBS has seen a huge increase in requests for BPSS checks as more employers are realizing that pre-employment evaluation only provides an evaluation of a person at that time. This means that while the BPSS as a whole is still in force, employers must check the immigration status of the person in question before their current right to work expires or every twelve months, whichever comes first. If you need a BPSS check to be completed quickly, it's vital to make sure you have all the right information on hand and review your application with a fine-toothed comb to ensure it's 100% correct and accurate.
Those who pass the BPSS security checks are considered trustworthy and fit not only to work legally in the UK but also manage sensitive government information.
