Basic and Enhanced differ in access, information and purpose. Basic is available to individuals and has a limited disclosure scope; Enhanced is restricted to eligible roles and can contain additional police information.
Know which level the role needs?
Use the comparison to identify the lawful level and requester.
Quick takeaways
- CRB is older language; DBS is the current service.
- Different DBS levels exist for different legal purposes.
- Tutors should focus on the route that matches the role.
- A higher level is not automatically appropriate if the role is not eligible.
Direct answer
The right way to compare DBS levels is to start with legal purpose rather than detail. Basic checks are widely available, Standard checks are limited to specific eligible roles, and Enhanced checks go further where legislation allows.
When people compare Basic, Standard and Enhanced, they usually want to know which one feels ‘best’. In reality, the correct question is which one is lawful and relevant for the role. A higher level is not automatically appropriate just because it sounds more reassuring.
- A Basic check can be requested by an individual and shows unspent convictions and conditional cautions.
- A Standard check is for specific legally eligible roles and shows spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions that have not been filtered.
- An Enhanced check shows the same core conviction information as a Standard check and can also include relevant local police information.
- An Enhanced check with Barred List(s) adds a check of the children’s barred list, adults’ barred list, or both where the role is entitled to it.
Where the differences really matter
Basic and Enhanced are the two levels most tutors hear about. Basic is the broad-access option for an individual, while Enhanced sits at the other end of the scale and is only available for eligible roles.
Enhanced can also include relevant local police information and, where the law allows, barred list status. That is why the route, the workforce and the role wording matter so much.
Turn the comparison into a route
Apply only after matching the duties to the level and application route.
Basic and Enhanced side by side
- Who can start it: an individual can request Basic; Enhanced needs an authorised route for an eligible role.
- What it shows: Basic covers unspent convictions and conditional cautions; Enhanced includes Standard-level information and can add relevant local police information.
- Barred lists: not part of Basic; available only on an Enhanced application where the role is entitled to the relevant list.
- Tutor use: Basic may provide limited evidence, while eligible child-facing tutoring may point to an Enhanced discussion.
Enhanced is not an optional upgrade purchased for extra reassurance. Eligibility decides whether the comparison can move beyond Basic.
Best practice before acting on a comparison
Once you understand the difference, the next step is to stop guessing and match the route to the real tutoring arrangement. That is the point where theory becomes admin.
Once the role and lawful route are clear, use the application link to continue.
Common questions
Is CRB the same thing as DBS?
CRB is the older term. DBS is the current service and the term used in modern official guidance.
Can I just choose the highest DBS level to be safe?
No. The role has to be legally entitled to the level requested.
Which DBS level matters most for tutors?
That depends on how the tutoring is arranged and whether the role is eligible for a higher-level check.
Does having a DBS certificate settle safeguarding on its own?
No. A certificate is one part of safer recruitment, not the whole process.
What to do next
Open the application route after the comparison has resolved the level.