We understand how frustrating it is when your workforce is ready for site but their BPSS Clearance is delayed. We streamline BPSS Clearance with robust processes and our UK-based support team, leaving you free to focus on your other responsibilities – not chasing paperwork!
With no complicated set-up process and an easy-to-use screening portal you can start screening today
Instant Employment Verification and Digital ID help to produce compliant BPSS reports faster and streamline the screening experience for your candidates...and you won't be charged more for it
With our technology-led approach to simple screening you'll get your candidates screened faster than ever without feeling under pressure or worried about meeting compliance standards. Here's how it works:
Create an account for instant access to your screening portal.
Simply add your candidate’s name and email address to start screening.
Once we complete all checks you can download a fully compliant BPSS report.
We understand how important it is to find a partner you can trust to get your candidates through their screening, that’s why we promise to:
Secure Screening have been extremely helpful, always going above and beyond to assist with any questions or queries. Their customer service is incredible, and I would highly recommend them!
Date of experience: March 2025
Reliably excellent service from Secure Screening, who are responsive and efficient, often going above and beyond to deliver quick results. Their team of Screening Administrators are a real credit to them, particularly Fiona.
Date of experience: February 2025
We have been using Secure Screening for almost a year now for BPSS screening. I'm so impressed. Every one of the team are so helpful with both myself and our candidates. Nothing is too much trouble. First class service. Thank you
Date of experience: March 2024
Reliable and super responsive! Have been working with them for quite a while now and would totally recommend- the interface of the website and user portal is super user-friendly and easy to use.
Date of experience: January 2025
Great experience with all the team at secure screening. Always quick to respond to queries and very helpful.
Date of experience: January 2025
I handed over the request to Secure Screening Services... and had minimal involvement in obtaining certification which allowed for me to concentrate on other matters. The portal was easy to navigate and even the complexities of arranging a check for a French resident, was completed without difficulty by the team. Great communication and great results.
Date of experience: February 2025
Using Instant Employment Verification your candidate will confirm their 3-year employment history within minutes, without the need to contact previous employers. To comply with BPSS standards a 6-month gap analysis is completed to confirm any gaps in employment.
Within minutes your candidate’s identity will be confirmed digitally using the latest biometric technology. ID checks are carried out to prevent fraud, check for illegal activity and fundamentally confirm that the person is who they claim to be.
Using the latest biometric technology your candidate’s Right to Work status will be confirmed instantly. Failing to carry out sufficient right to work checks can result in fines and penalties, so it’s important you use a trusted provider to complete these.
Depending on your candidate’s digital status, by using Digital ID, you won’t be required to manually verify your candidate's documents. This check ensures an individual has no unspent convictions, enhancing trust and safety in recruitment and decision-making processes.
BPSS Clearance, or Baseline Personnel Security Standard screening, is a fundamental pre-employment check in the UK, conducted to ensure the security of individuals who have access to sensitive government information. This screening verifies an individual's identity, employment history, criminal record, and right to work in the UK.
The latest guidance for BPSS Clearance was published in June 2024 with some key updates being made, particularly around the recommendation of electronic systems for verifying identity, employment history and criminal records. The guidance was last updated in May 2018.
BPSS screening is crucial to safeguard your organisation against potential security threats. It helps ensure that new hires are reliable, trustworthy, and have integrity, thereby reducing the risk of insider threats, data breaches, and fraudulent activities.
BPSS screening involves four primary checks: Identity Check, Right to Work Verification, Employment History Verification, and a Criminal Record Check. These checks aim to establish the trustworthiness of potential employees.
On average we can complete BPSS Clearance within 5 working days, however it is important to know that this can depend on how responsive the candidate is to the screening process.
While BPSS screening is not legally mandatory, it is a best-practice standard often required for jobs within or related to the UK Government. Additionally, many private sector organisations adopt BPSS as a robust pre-employment screening process.
A BPSS clearance is generally considered valid for 3 years from the date of issue. However, organisations may choose to renew or validate the clearance more frequently based on their internal policies or the nature of the role.
By verifying the identity, background, and credibility of potential employees, BPSS screening helps protect your business from potential internal security threats. It enhances trust in your workforce and maintains the integrity of your organisation.
Ultimately, a candidate cannot fail BPSS Clearance. You may find that a candidate has some alerts on the checks carried out but a report would still be published to reflect these. As long as all checks have been completed to the standards required, a BPSS report will be published.
While it's possible for a candidate to begin work before the BPSS screening is complete, it's recommended to wait for the clearance for roles that involve access to sensitive information. This ensures maximum security and reduces potential risks.
SC clearance, or Security Check clearance, is a level of security vetting in the United Kingdom that allows individuals to access sensitive government information and work on projects with a classified nature. It involves a thorough background check, including identity verification, criminal record checks, employment history, and personal references. SC clearance is typically required for roles involving national security, defence, intelligence, or handling classified information. It demonstrates that an individual has been assessed and granted the necessary level of trust and reliability to work with sensitive information. SC clearance is subject to regular reviews and must be maintained to ensure continued access to classified material. BPSS Clearance is the stepping stone to SC Clearance.
BPSS is not a formal national security clearance but is the baseline pre-employment security standard for many UK government and sensitive roles. It is required before higher levels such as SC (Security Check) or DV (Developed Vetting) can be granted.
In order to get BPSS Clearance for your candidate, you have two main options:
1. Do it in-house
Your HR / security team can collect the necessary paperwork and run the required checks manually (ID, right to work, 3-year employment history, basic criminal record check).
2. Use a certified screening provider
You partner with a background screening company that offers a BPSS package. They provide online forms/portals for candidates to complete the information, conduct and process the checks and then provide a fully compliant BPSS report.
Most organisations that hire at scale or work across multiple sites prefer using a specialist provider for consistency, faster turnaround times, and the guarantee that the reports provided will meet compliance standards.
BPSS is the baseline screening you do for people in or around government work, whereas SC and DV are higher-level national security clearances for roles with access to classified material. BPSS is usually the starting requirement before someone can be considered for SC or DV.
Yes, non-UK nationals can get BPSS clearance, as long as they meet the same core requirements as UK nationals: identity, right to work, background history and basic criminal record checks. Here's what to consider when getting any non-UK nationals through BPSS:
To meet BPSS, a non-UK national must have the legal right to work in the UK. Depending on the individual, that might be:
If right to work can't be confirmed, BPSS clearance cannot be granted.
If they've lived outside the UK, employers may ask for overseas address history and supporting documents (e.g. bank statements, utility bills, tenancy agreements).
A UK Basic DBS check only shows information held in UK records. For non-UK nationals or anyone who has spent significant time overseas, employers may:
The exact approach varies by organisation and sector, and most screening providers can add additional checks to the BPSS report should this be deemed necessary.
There are many reputable pre-employment screening providers in the UK, and the "best" one will always depend on your organisation's size, job roles and internal processes. The key is to choose a partner whose service offering matches what you actually need.
If you're looking for:
…then Secure Screening Services is likely to be a very strong fit.
Other providers may be better suited if your company is looking for:
When you're comparing UK screening companies, it's a good idea to start by defining your requirements (volume, turnaround time, integrations, level of support, types of checks). Doing this will make it much easier to identify the provider that's genuinely the best fit for your organisation — rather than just the biggest name.
