The BPSS (Basic Staff Security Standard) is a requirement for any individual who can work with confidential information for government contracts or have access to important government assets. This includes full-time employees and contractors in the communications, energy, and finance industries. The purpose of this certificate is to reduce the risk of illegal workers and identity theft, as well as to protect national security. The cost of a BPSS check is 115,000 pounds sterling per request and the average delivery time is 7 to 10 working days.
Recently, there has been an increase in the number of requests for BPSS checks and more employers are recognizing the importance of pre-employment evaluation. While employers can handle some aspects of the BPSS themselves, such as the right to work and identity checks, it's much more efficient to leave the entire process to a specialist like Checkback. The government encourages human resources staff to collaborate with security units and, if possible, with legal advisors and procurement members, although usually the human resources department is responsible for carrying out the screening of candidates by the BPSS. When employees switch organizations, the new employer may, in some cases, accept an existing BPSS along with their own recommended checks. A person may have negative conclusions about the DBS control element of the BPSS, but if the convictions are not relevant to the position they are seeking, local managers can decide whether to hire them.
The government considers BPSS checks to be an important measure to confirm the identity of a person (employee or contractor) and their rights to work in the UK. When people move from one company to another, the new employer may, in some circumstances, accept an existing BPSS. However, since employers are legally required to meet most requirements such as identification, right to work, and immigration status, it makes sense to do the whole process again which will usually be faster. We have been conducting BPSS checks since before they were invented (before they were called “basic control”). These checks are essential in mitigating risks associated with people working with potentially sensitive information.
They were created to help reduce the risk of illegal workers and identity fraud and generally protect national security.
