What the New DBS Rules Mean for Self-Employed Professionals
Article by Tim Stokes, Sales Director, Matrix Security Watchdog
Since 2012, the Disclosure and Barring Service, recalled more widely as the DBS and in the years before that as the Criminal Records Bureau, has played a crucial role in safeguarding across the UK by providing rigorous criminal record checks for roles involving vulnerable groups. It has become a cornerstone of safer recruitment and public protection.
But the world of work has evolved quickly, and the UK economy has shifted significantly in the years since DBS processes were first designed, particularly in how people choose to work. The number of self-employed people in the UK reached around 4.4 million in late 2024, representing a substantial part of the workforce. Many of these individuals deliver trusted services directly to families and clients, from private tutors and carers to therapists, coaches and personal assistants.
Despite this growth, self-employment status has historically created a barrier to accessing the right level of DBS check. Until January 2026, self-employed professionals could only obtain a Basic DBS check on their own, even where the nature of their work clearly involved regulated or safeguarding-sensitive activity. In my opinion, there has been a wider oversight here. Work does not become less safeguarding-critical simply because someone is self-employed.
Expectations placed on professionals working in homes, community settings or regulated environments are just as high as those in traditional employment contexts. All of this to say, that the recent update to DBS guidance is well over-due and helps bring safeguarding policy back into line with the realities of today’s workforce.
Bringing Safeguarding in Line with Modern Working
From 21 January 2026, self-employed individuals and personal employees can apply for Enhanced and Enhanced with Barred List DBS checks through an approved Registered or Umbrella Body. This closes a long-standing gap between workforce reality and safeguarding practice.
This is not a superficial change. It is a practical update that recognises how services are now delivered across the UK, particularly in education support, home care, wellbeing services and personal assistance. Safeguarding expectations in these environments are high, and rightly so.
The update ensures that access to appropriate DBS checks is based on the nature of the work being carried out, not simply the employment structure behind it.
What This Means in Practice
For self-employed professionals, this change is about credibility and opportunity. An Enhanced DBS check can now help individuals to reassure families and clients who are placing significant trust in them, meet growing expectations in sectors where higher-level checks are becoming the norm, and to access work that may previously have been out of reach without the right level of disclosure.
In competitive markets, being able to demonstrate you hold an appropriate Enhanced DBS check is a clear professional differentiator.
The Rules Still Matter
While the route has opened up, eligibility requirements remain in place. The level of check must be appropriate to the role being carried out, identity verification must meet DBS standards, and applications must be submitted through a compliant Registered or Umbrella Body.
In other words, the system has evolved, but the principles behind it remain the same; Protecting vulnerable people through thorough, proportionate and lawful safeguarding checks.
For many self-employed professionals, this will be unfamiliar territory. Applying for an Enhanced check is different from applying for a Basic check, and it is important that the process is handled correctly.
Getting It Right
At Matrix Security Watchdog, we see this change as a sensible and overdue step. Our role is to make sure self-employed applicants can access this new route in a way that is clear, compliant and straightforward.
We are listed within official DBS guidance as a provider able to support self-employed individuals and personal employees. That recognition matters, because it gives applicants confidence that they are using a legitimate and recognised route.
For independent professionals, a DBS check is not just an administrative requirement. It is part of how you demonstrate trust in a market where reputation matters.
This update gives self-employed professionals the ability to show that trust more clearly and more appropriately than before.
Contact Us
Contact our team to find out more.