Online Identity Validation for DBS checks & Right to Work

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Government plans for Digital Identity and IDVT

In a previous blog post Our Government’s Plan for creating Digital Identities we discussed the UK’s government’s vision for digital identities, the anticipated benefits, early timelines, the Trusted Framework and international online identity verification pilots.

Since then the programme has moved from planning into formal implementation.

A key enabler of digital identity checks is Identification Document Validation Technology (IDVT). Following its successful use during COVID-19 restrictions, the Home Office confirmed that IDVT would be a permanent option for identity verification, reflecting the long-term shift towards hybrid and remote working.

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IDVT, Right to Work and DBS checks

IDVT is now embedded within:

• Right to Work checks (where British and Irish passports are verified digitally)
• Right to Rent checks
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) digital vetting, where use of a certified Digital Verification Service is mandatory.

This is governed by the UK Digital Verification Services (DVS) Trust Framework, which became statutory in December 2025 under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

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Benefits of Online Identity Verification

Employers benefit from:

• Increased confidence in candidate identity
• A consistent, auditable and secure checking process
• Reduce fraud and compliance risk
• Faster onboarding and improved statutory excuse protection

Employees will benefit from:

• Remote identity verification
• Digital proof of eligibility to work (and rent)
• Reduced handling of physical documents
• Faster employment processes

The recruitment process benefits from:

• Shorter onboarding timelines
• Increased workforce mobility
• Improved system integrity
• Reduced human error

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How organisations access IDVT today

IDVT is accessed through Digital Verification Services (DVS) providers that are:

• Certified against the UK DVS Trust Framework
• Assessed by UKAS-accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies
• Authorised for specific use cases such as Right to Work, Right to Rent and DBS checks

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Governance and assurance

• Certification is based on ISO/IEC 17065
• UKAS oversees accreditation of certification bodies
• The framework includes governance, bias testing, transparency, auditability and escalation requirements
• Certification is now a legal and operational requirement for high-trust digital identity use cases, particularly DBS digital vetting.

Are you looking for a trusted employee background checks provider?

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