Disclosure Services
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersWilmslow, United Kingdom
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Disclosure Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Disclosure Services
- Legal name
- Disclosure Services Ltd.
- Website
- https://disclosureservices.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Disclosure Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Background Screening Services
- NAICS
- Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611), Investigation and Security Services (5616)
- SIC
- Services-Services, Nec (8900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Criminal Background Checks (National/State/County) (BPACALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Identity Verification (ID, SSN Trace, KYC-lite) (BPACALAD)
Keywords
Where Disclosure Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wilmslow
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Disclosure Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- DBS Check Processing Fees: Processing fees charged for DBS checks (Basic, Standard, Enhanced) plus Disclosure Scotland and AccessNI checks. Admin fees charged on top of government DBS fees. Volume-based pricing model available for high-volume clients.
- API/Integration Services: API access fees for organisations integrating with ATS or HR systems to submit checks programmatically.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Basic DBS Check - £35 inc.VAT |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard DBS Check - £35 inc.VAT |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Enhanced DBS Check - £52 inc.VAT |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Disclosure Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Disclosure Services provides online background screening for UK organisations through Basic, Standard, and Enhanced DBS Checks for England and Wales, Disclosure Scotland Checks, AccessNI Checks for Northern Ireland, and Adult First Checks for adult care workers. Operating as a certified Umbrella Body, the company processes millions of criminal record checks annually for over 50,000 organisations via its online platform and API, with ID verification, application tracking, and UK-based expert support.
Product overview
Disclosure Services offers a comprehensive online background screening platform providing multiple levels of criminal record checks across UK jurisdictions. The core product suite includes Basic, Standard, and Enhanced DBS Checks for England and Wales, Disclosure Scotland Checks for Scotland, AccessNI Checks for Northern Ireland, and Adult First Checks for expedited adult care sector processing. The company also provides an API integration product that connects with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and HR systems for seamless workflow automation. Services are delivered through an online platform with features including ID verification options (in-person, video call, and email), application tracking, flexible payments, and same-day setup. The company processes millions of checks annually for over 50,000 organizations across sectors including healthcare, education, recruitment, charities, and sports.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Basic DBS Checks Basic level criminal record checks for individuals working in England and Wales, showing unspent convictions and conditional cautions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Available for any purpose including employment, sold to organisations processing staff and volunteer screening.
- Standard DBS Checks Mid-level criminal record checks for specific roles within specified settings such as hospital cleaners or GP receptionists, covering both spent and unspent convictions. Designed for organisations requiring non-enhanced background screening.
- Enhanced DBS Checks Highest level of DBS check covering spent and unspent convictions, cautions, warnings, reprimands, and relevant police information. Includes optional barred list checks, suitable for roles involving children or vulnerable adults.
- Disclosure Scotland Checks Criminal record checks available for individuals working in Scotland, processed through Disclosure Scotland. Includes Basic, Standard, and Enhanced levels plus PVG Scheme membership for organisations hiring in Scotland.
- Adult First Checks Fast-track service for regulated staff working with adults in care settings, providing expedited processing of barred list checks for eligible adult care workers enabling quicker starts in regulated roles.
- AccessNI Checks Criminal record checking service for Northern Ireland, equivalent to DBS checks for roles in Northern Ireland, including Basic, Standard, Enhanced, and Barred List checks for organisations operating in Northern Ireland.
- DBS API Integration API service enabling organisations to integrate DBS check submission into existing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) or HR systems, allowing programmatic submission and management of Basic, Standard, Enhanced DBS Checks, Disclosure Scotland Checks, and Adult First Checks.
Quantifiable outcome
- Most Basic checks can complete within hours or even minutes
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Disclosure Services
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Disclosure Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Disclosure Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- uCheckcoreuCheck is Disclosure Services' key partner within Citation Group. Both companies are experts in background screening services. Their integrated approach combines experience and technologies to create the ultimate background screening experience for clients. They deliver millions of checks each year together.
- Glyndŵr UniversityminorUniversity partner listed on Disclosure Services website. Partnership supports education sector engagement.
- CambriaminorCollege partnership supporting Further Education sector engagement.
- Licence BureauminorLicence checking services partner for verifying driver credentials as part of background screening.
- Wrexham County Borough CouncilminorLocal government partnership supporting regional business community and employment screening needs.
- North Wales Business Club (NWBC)minorBusiness networking organisation partnership for local business connections and referrals.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Disclosure Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- uCheck: UK background screening provider offering DBS, Disclosure Scotland and AccessNI checks via an online platform. Now a sister company inside Citation Group and explicitly being integrated with Disclosure Services to build what the companies describe as the UK's best background screening service.
- Reed Screening (Reed Online Limited): UK background screening service run by Reed, offering DBS checks and related screening to UK employers. Comparable as a direct UK competitor with similar Umbrella Body-style offerings and employer-facing positioning.
- CRG Direct: UK background screening provider offering DBS, employment and reference checks to employers. Comparable to Disclosure Services on product set and UK mid-market customer base.
Broad incumbents
- HireRight: Global background screening incumbent offering criminal, identity, employment and credit checks across multiple jurisdictions. Comparable as a direct competitor to Disclosure Services for any UK customer with international screening needs, and as the dominant broad-scope incumbent in the same category.
- First Advantage: Large global background screening provider covering criminal, identity, employment history and right-to-work checks. Competes with Disclosure Services on multi-jurisdictional screening and represents a step-up incumbent competing for enterprise UK customers.
- Sterling: US-listed global background screening company offering criminal, identity and credential checks. Comparable to Disclosure Services in core product category, with broader geographic reach and a wider services portfolio.
- Onfido: Identity verification provider offering KYC, right-to-work and document checks used in hiring. Comparable to the ID verification layer of Disclosure Services' workflow and an emerging adjacent competitor for digital-first identity checks.
- GBG: UK-listed identity verification and location intelligence business serving regulated industries including financial services, gaming and HR. Comparable to Disclosure Services on the identity and KYC elements of background screening, with a broader compliance customer base.
- Kroll: Global investigations, risk and background screening firm with deep enterprise and financial-services customer base. Comparable to Disclosure Services on the screening category but operates as a broad incumbent across due diligence, compliance and risk.
Emerging players
- Veremark: Digital-first, API-native background screening provider focused on candidate experience and ATS/HRIS integration. Comparable to Disclosure Services on product (criminal and identity checks) but represents the new generation of API-first competitors that threaten traditional Umbrella Body economics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Disclosure Services social profiles
Digital presenceDisclosure Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Disclosure Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Disclosure Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Disclosure Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Disclosure Services
What does Disclosure Services do?
Disclosure Services provides online background screening for UK organisations through Basic, Standard, and Enhanced DBS Checks for England and Wales, Disclosure Scotland Checks, AccessNI Checks for Northern Ireland, and Adult First Checks for adult care workers. Operating as a certified Umbrella Body, the company processes millions of criminal record checks annually for over 50,000 organisations via its online platform and API, with ID verification, application tracking, and UK-based expert support.
Is Disclosure Services a public or private company?
Disclosure Services is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Disclosure Services founded?
Disclosure Services was founded in 2002.
Where is Disclosure Services based?
Disclosure Services is headquartered in Wilmslow, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Disclosure Services make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. DBS Check Processing Fees are the primary driver. The others are API/Integration Services.
Who are Disclosure Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are uCheck, Reed Screening (Reed Online Limited) and CRG Direct. Broad incumbents are HireRight, First Advantage, Sterling, Onfido, GBG and Kroll. Veremark is listed as an emerging player.
Does Disclosure Services have an API?
Yes. Disclosure Services offers an API that enables integration with existing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) or HR systems to submit DBS checks without the need to operate on two different systems or platforms. The API allows organizations to programmatically submit and manage background checks including Basic, Standard, and Enhanced DBS Checks, Disclosure Scotland Checks, and Adult First Checks. Developer documentation is at disclosureservices.com/api.
What industry is Disclosure Services in?
Disclosure Services's product category is Background Screening Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACALAA, Criminal Background Checks (National/State/County), with a secondary code of BPACALAD, Identity Verification (ID, SSN Trace, KYC-lite). Its NAICS code is 561611 and its SIC code is 8900.