NPHTA: THE DBS DEBACLE
DBS: CONTINUING PROBLEMS AND PERSISTENT FAILURES
Article by Dave Lawrie, Director NPHTA
info@nphta.co.uk
The failures of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) update service continue to create problems for the taxi and private hire industry. Since it was adopted, concerns have been raised at several council liaison meetings and at the Institute of Licensing conferences. Despite years of feedback, many of the same issues remain unresolved - raising an important question: why has so little changed?
So what are the issues, and more importantly, why have they not been resolved yet?
DBS - a promising idea that made sense
When the DBS replaced the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) in 2012, the goal was clear: streamline criminal record checks and improve safeguarding through a single, more efficient system.
However, the rollout was far from smooth. Backlogs quickly built up, with applicants across multiple sectors - including taxi and private hire - waiting six months or more for certificates. This left thousands unable to work. Early warnings from the trade were raised, but largely overlooked at the time. Eventually, these delays eased, and were largely attributed to early technical “teething problems.”
DBS update service: a step forward?
The DBS Update Service, introduced in 2013, was intended to simplify the process further. Once an applicant applied, they could then register using their application number (E number) or they could wait for the certificate to arrive, and register using the certificate number (C number)
Once registered, applicants could maintain their status with an annual fee, avoiding the need for repeat applications - provided no new information had been recorded and was supposed to be transferable to any local authority or employment. In principle, it was a significant improvement. In practice, however, several fundamental flaws have undermined its effectiveness.
6 SO WHAT WENT WRONG?
The 30-day registration limit: One of the most widely criticised aspects is the requirement to register for the Update Service within 30 days of a certificate being issued - not received.
If this deadline is missed, applicants must start the entire process again.
This raises a simple question: if no information has changed, why impose a strict time limit at all? The rule creates unnecessary cost, duplication and delays, often through no fault of the applicant.
GET RID OF THE 30-DAY LIMIT!
Payment system failures: The service currently relies on debit card payments, with no option for direct debit. When asked why, the simplified response was: “a direct debit is more likely to fail, where a debit card is more guaranteed.”
This is difficult to justify. Debit cards expire, are frequently replaced, and can easily fail - making them an unreliable method for ongoing payments. Further, you cannot log in at any time to update card details, this can ONLY be performed within 7 days of annual renewal, the system has been designed to fail.
In contrast, direct debit is widely used across essential services, precisely because it offers continuity and reliability. The next attempt to justify this decision on their part was: “We do not have the ability to set up direct debit payment system.”
Seriously? Let look at other service providers that use direct debit.
l TV licensing l Car tax / insurance l Council tax l Magazine subscriptions l Online platforms such as Adobe, Microsoft etc l Electricity providers l Phone services l Gas providers l Fuel card services
APRIL 2026 PHTM
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