Do volunteers have to pay for their criminal record check?

Question

Accepted Answer

Usually not, for the higher-level checks that children's sport needs.

Nation	Free for eligible volunteers	Paid
England and Wales (DBS)	Standard and enhanced checks	Basic checks
Scotland (Disclosure Scotland)	Sport organisations can apply for free volunteer checks through Volunteer Scotland Disclosure Services
Northern Ireland (AccessNI)	Standard and enhanced checks for volunteers with a non-profit or voluntary group	Basic checks (£16)

Who counts as a volunteer: someone giving their time unpaid (apart from travel and approved expenses) for the benefit of someone who isn't a close relative. You don't qualify if you are paid beyond expenses, on a work placement, on a course that requires the role, or in a trainee post leading to paid work.

Clubs often apply through an NGB or an umbrella body, which may add its own admin fee even when the government check itself is free.