Reference

BS 7858 & security vetting glossary

Plain-English definitions of the terms that come up in UK security screening — from limited screening and the 31-day gap rule to DBS, SIA and ACS. New to the standard itself? Start with BS 7858 screening, explained.

ACS (Approved Contractor Scheme): A voluntary SIA quality mark for security suppliers. ACS assessment reviews how a company vets, trains and manages its staff, so screening records to BS 7858:2019 are routinely expected.
Annual re-screening: BS 7858 treats screening as ongoing rather than one-off. Employers should review screened staff regularly, with annual checks such as re-verifying SIA licences and monitoring for new risk indicators. The Hub runs this automatically.
BPSS (Baseline Personnel Security Standard): A UK government baseline covering identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history (three years) and a criminal-record check. It is a lower bar than national security vetting and distinct from commercial BS 7858 screening.
BS 7858:2019: The British Standard Screening of individuals working in a secure environment — Code of practice, published by BSI. It sets out the identity, right-to-work, five-year history, criminal-record and financial checks an employer must complete and evidence. See BS 7858 screening, explained.
CCJ (County Court Judgment): A court order recording an unpaid debt. CCJ checks form part of the financial-probity element of screening, flagging integrity risks for people in trusted roles.
Character reference: A reference from someone who knows the candidate personally, used to cover a period where documentary or employer evidence is limited — for example to explain a gap in the five-year history.
Companies House check: A check of UK company records to confirm directorships and business interests a candidate has declared, and to surface any that were not disclosed.
DBS check: A Disclosure and Barring Service criminal-record check. Basic shows unspent convictions; Standard and Enhanced (for eligible roles) show more. The DBS check is one component of BS 7858 screening, not the whole of it.
Financial probity check: Checks for CCJs, bankruptcy or insolvency and other adverse financial records relevant to the integrity of someone in a position of trust.
Five-year history: BS 7858 requires a continuous, verified account of the candidate's employment, education and other activity over the previous five years, with every period accounted for.
Gap (31-day rule) and gap analysis: Any break of more than 31 days in the five-year history must be explained and evidenced — for example with benefit statements, medical certificates or a character reference. Gap analysis is the process of identifying and resolving these breaks.
IDSP (Identity Service Provider): A certified provider of digital identity verification. Under the UK's certification framework, IDSPs can carry out digital identity checks used for right-to-work and DBS processes.
Identity verification: Confirming a candidate is who they say they are, using government-issued photo identity such as a passport or driving licence, cross-checked against other evidence.
Insolvency check: A check of the Insolvency Register for bankruptcy, individual voluntary arrangements or debt relief orders, forming part of the financial-probity assessment.
Limited screening: A conditional start allowed by BS 7858 once identity, right to work and a criminal-record check are satisfactory. Full screening must then be completed within 12 weeks of the start date, or the engagement ends.
PEP (Politically Exposed Person): A person entrusted with a prominent public function, who carries a higher risk profile. PEP screening is run alongside sanctions checks during full screening.
Referee and reference: A referee confirms part of a candidate's history. BS 7858 requires contact details for at least two referees; employer references verify claimed employment, and character references can cover gaps.
Right to work: Evidence that a candidate is legally permitted to work in the UK, confirmed from documents or a digital identity check. It is a core check that must be satisfactory before any start.
Sanctions screening: Checking a candidate against global sanctions and watchlists to ensure they are not a prohibited person, run as part of full BS 7858 screening.
SC / DV clearance: Security Check (SC) and Developed Vetting (DV) are UK government national security clearances for access to classified assets. They are separate from, and more stringent than, commercial BS 7858 screening.
Screening: The overall process of collecting and verifying a candidate's identity, history and background against a defined standard — in the security industry, usually BS 7858:2019. Often used interchangeably with ‘vetting’.
Screening file: The auditable record of a candidate's completed screening — the checks run, the evidence gathered and the decisions made. BS 7858 requires each check to be documented in a file that can be produced on audit.
Secure environment: A setting where people are trusted with unsupervised access to premises, assets or data. BS 7858 applies to anyone working in one — security officers, keyholders, control-room staff and more.
SIA licence: A licence issued by the Security Industry Authority that individuals must hold to carry out licensable security activity in the UK, such as manned guarding or door supervision. Licences are verified during screening and re-checked over time.
Verification (Hub): On the Tech Guarding Hub, a guard ‘verification’ is a purchased BS 7858 screening: the automated checks plus a human evidence review, delivered either by the organisation (self-review) or by Tech Guarding (managed).
Vetting: The common term for background screening of staff. In UK security, vetting to BS 7858:2019 is the recognised standard for officers and anyone with access to secure environments.

Put it into practice

Screen to BS 7858 without the jargon getting in the way

The Tech Guarding Hub runs every check above automatically, builds the auditable screening file, and keeps records current with annual re-screening — with pricing published up front.