Figures recently uncovered by Camberwell and Peckham MP Harriet Harman show that local people are being prevented from getting work by delays in processing applications by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Constituents that have been in contact for help on this include:

Mr Z, a chauffeur, whose private hire driving license expired at the end of 2015. His application was delayed because his DBS check had not been processed.  He was losing income and worried about how he was going to pay his rent and other bills.

Dr Q was offered a job in a North London hospital but was unable to work for over 4 months due to delays with her DBS application. Dr Q had to use her savings to pay for essential bills and reached a point where she had to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance.

In her letter to the Home Secretary today, Harriet Harman MP said:

“I have been contacted by a number of constituents who have had to wait many months for their applications to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to be completed.

These include a doctor who had to use her personal savings to pay for essential bills as she couldn’t work until the check was complete and eventually had to sign on and claim for Jobseeker’s Allowance to support herself while she was waiting. It is not right that people who have done nothing wrong are being put under such financial hardship when trying to find work.

Earlier this month, I submitted a written parliamentary question asking how many applications to the DBS from people living in Camberwell and Peckham have taken more than 60 days to process. Karen Bradley MP answered that between February 2015 and the end of January 2016, 2,371 applications from Camberwell and Peckham have taken over 60 days to be completed.”