DBS Umbrella Solution

Name

DBS Umbrella Solution

Legal name

1 Stop Rec Limited

Website

https://dbscheck.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Colchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. DBS Check Processing Fees: The company charges transaction fees for processing various levels of DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) checks including Basic, Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced with Barred List checks. Additional services include digital ID verification, update services, and employment referencing. Fees vary by check type and package level (Platinum, Premier, Prestige) with volume-based pricing for high-volume customers.
2. Admin and Service Fees: Administration fees are charged based on service and support levels provided throughout the DBS checking process. This includes verification, correction, counter-signing, submission, and tracking of DBS forms. Premium packages offer additional services such as dedicated account management, free postage, and unlimited telephone and email support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DBS Umbrella Solution is an approved umbrella body for the UK Disclosure & Barring Service, processing Basic, Standard, Enhanced, and Enhanced-with-Barred-List criminal record checks on behalf of UK employers and self-employed individuals. Customers access a 24/7 online portal to initiate applications, verify identity digitally, and track disclosures in real time, with most Standard and Enhanced checks returned within 48 hours. The offering is supplemented by add-on screening services—Right to Work, Employment Referencing, Social Media checks—and an annual Update Service subscription that keeps certificates portable between employers.

Product overview

DBS Umbrella Solution is an approved umbrella body for the Disclosure & Barring Service providing a comprehensive portfolio of DBS check services. The core product offering includes Enhanced DBS Disclosure (£49.50), Standard DBS Disclosure (£21.50), Basic DBS Disclosure, and Volunteer DBS Disclosure — each available in tiered service packages (Platinum, Premier, Prestige) with varying administration fees and support levels. The platform offers supplementary add-on modules including ISA First Check (£6), Update Service (£16), Digital Identification Check (£2.15), Right To Work Check (£2.50), Employment Referencing (£35), and Private/Public Social Media Check (£40). A dedicated online application portal (dbschecks.employmentcheck.org.uk) enables applicants to initiate, track, and manage DBS checks 24/7 with real-time status updates. The company also offers specialized self-employed packages for individuals working in regulated activity, combining Enhanced/Basic DBS with ID verification and Update Service subscriptions. Founded in 1998, the company operates as part of 1 Stop Rec Limited and has processed DBS checks since 2008.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Enhanced DBS Disclosure

Quantifiable outcome

• DBS disclosures processed within 24 hours for rapid turnaround
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Direct peers

• uCheck: UK-based DBS umbrella body offering Basic, Standard, and Enhanced DBS checks to employers and individuals. Directly competes with DBS Umbrella Solution in the same regulated umbrella-body channel with a comparable online portal and pricing model.
• Vero Screening: UK-based background screening provider offering DBS checks, right-to-work, identity verification, and employment referencing to employers across regulated verticals. Closely comparable in product mix, target verticals (healthcare, education, charities), and SMB/mid-market positioning.
• Veremark: UK-headquartered background screening company providing criminal record checks, identity verification, right-to-work, and employment referencing with an online portal. Comparable to DBS Umbrella Solution on core products but typically serves larger enterprise and international clients.
• Personnel Checks: UK DBS umbrella body providing Basic, Standard, and Enhanced checks plus identity verification to employers and individuals. Closely comparable to DBS Umbrella Solution in service scope, pricing tiers, and customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Onfido: UK-founded global identity verification and background screening platform used by employers for right-to-work, DBS-equivalent criminal checks, and KYC. Overlaps with DBS Umbrella Solution on identity verification and employer screening workflows, but at much greater scale and with an API-first product.
• HireRight: Global background screening giant with UK operations offering criminal record checks (including DBS), identity, employment, and right-to-work services. Competes with DBS Umbrella Solution for UK enterprise volume but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Sterling: Global background screening and identity verification provider with operations in the UK. Overlaps with DBS Umbrella Solution on criminal record checks and identity verification, but typically targets enterprise HR and ATS-integrated deployments rather than the SMB/self-employed channel.
• Checkr: US-headquartered background screening platform expanding internationally, offering criminal checks, identity verification, and continuous monitoring. Conceptual peer for the technology-enabled screening model; competes with DBS Umbrella Solution in the broader UK screening market rather than as a direct DBS umbrella body.

Regional players

• Citation: UK provider of HR, employment law, and compliance services including DBS and right-to-work checks, primarily to SMBs. Comparable to DBS Umbrella Solution on the SMB compliance buyer and partial product overlap, but positioned as a broader HR compliance partner rather than a specialist DBS umbrella body.

Emerging players

• TrustID: UK-based digital identity verification (IDVT) provider supplying right-to-work, DBS-linked identity, and KYC checks via a government-approved digital ID flow. Adjacent peer to DBS Umbrella Solution on the digital ID verification step embedded in DBS applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dbs-umbrella-solution

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DBS Umbrella Solution