Why do we need security clearance before letting anyone join any office premises? Surprisingly, 606,282 crimes against businesses were registered in England and Wales and 58% of business crimes are still unresolved. Therefore, the vision of reducing crime against businesses and ensuring employees’ safety gives birth to the concept of BPSS.
BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard) is the recognized standard set by the UK government for pre-employment screening of individuals, who would access government assets and sensitive information. By incorporating a refined and secured pre-employment screening in your recruitment procedure, you can hire a person who works with honesty, integrity, and values.
Also, Read: How BPSS Screening Can Nurture Company Culture?
What Is BPSS Security Clearance?
Are you working with the UK government? Do you handle sensitive information? If so, then you have to go through the process of BPSS security clearance. BPSS is the defined standard set for pre-employment screening of individuals with access to government assets.
BPSS is not a formal security clearance but its rigorous and consistent application underpins the national security vetting process at CTC, Level 1B, SC, and DV.
People, who have the right to access government assets, are required to go through BPSS clearance, including all civil servants, armed forces personnel, temporary staff in departments, and government contractors. Scroll the information below for more ideas on individuals who need BPSS clearance:
- Work in areas where SECRET and TOP SECRET information may be overheard.
- Access Public Services Network (PSN)
- Access UK official assets and occasional access to UK SECRET assets
What Checks Included in BPSS Clearance?
While enrolling someone in your organization, you conduct different rounds to examine their intellectual abilities, logical thinking, management skills, and more. Apart from these rounds, BPSS checks act as an additional layer of security when recruiting anyone in your organization that ensures the organization’s and nation’s safety.
BPSS clearance is processed through four steps:
- Criminal Record Checks
One of the most effective ways to regulate your recruitment risks is to ask for criminal records checks under BPSS screening. Through this check, you can verify the candidates’ background for unspent convictions and conditional cautions, reprimands, final warnings, and more. Go through the following information to get an idea of what information is analyzed under criminal records checks:
- Reprimands and final warnings
- Examine if any candidate is prohibited from working with a certain job
- Unspent convictions and conditional cautions
- Police verification
2. Identity Checks
Since 2013, data breaches through identity theft are costing the country approximately £4 billion every year in the UK. Moreover, when it comes to national total data breaches, the UK ranks fifth with more than 140 million files stolen. Now, you can understand the significance of identity checks to safeguard businesses.
In identity checks, both physical and biometric attributes of an individual identity are checked, including their name, age, place of birth, address history, and country of residence.
3. Employment History Checks
To know the employment background of a candidate, a minimum of three years of service record is examined. The information comprises the type of employment held, duration of servicing, reason for leaving, employer name, and more.
By analyzing employment history, you can get insights into a candidate’s employment and make an informed decision for hiring someone in your workplace.
4. Right-To-Work Checks
Before providing entry to anyone in your workplace, check if he or she has the right to work in the country. That’s why the segment of right-to-work is added to BPSS screening. Under this section, you can confirm a person’s eligibility for working in the UK.
Right-to-work checks include the verification of visa, residency status, ID, passport, and more. It must be included in your recruitment process to avoid future problems and ensure the safety of employees.
Also, Read: Things Every Candidate Needs to Do in a Background Screening Success
How Long Does BPSS Check Valid?
Interestingly, the BPSS Check does not expire for UK residents. However, BPSS can be maintained as long as the employee stays employed in your organization. When an employee changes companies, the new organization can ask for BPSS checks or may consider the previous one. So, count BPSS screening as the most vital process in your recruitment process to ensure the safety of the organization as well as staff.
Visit Bpssclearance.co.uk to apply now!