Baselines Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

DoggyDooDoo

Hi all,

Just wonder if people could help me out a bit. I'm been successful in a job application for the Civil Service and need to complete a BPSS check prior to starting. I'm just curious if anybody has any information about what happens during it as I've been asked to provide a lot of information.

Is the check purely to screen candidates for the job role or can findings be used to notify hiring managers, companies etc. about current/past circumstances?

It's not that I've been a naughty girl or anything but there are some questionable transactions on my bank statements. In addition I really don't want to proceed and take the job if they are going to be fine combing my bank transactions, benefit entitlement, tax history etc.

I guess I'm just a very private citizen who gets unnerved at people going through her private affairs for the past 3 years.

Hopefully nothing to worry about!

Undervalued

I think it rather depends on what you mean by "civil service".

If you are looking to be a fairly minor clerk in the Department of Rural Affairs I doubt it matters very much. One the other hand if you are applying to join the security services then they will look at everything with a fine tooth comb.

Presumably if you have not been a "naughty girl" then you will have a simple and legal explanation for the "questionable transactions"?

DoggyDooDoo

It's just a minor role in admin so bare minimum check is all that is required.

I guess I don't trust the government (or whatever 3rd party outsourced company) to handle all of my information confidentially. I'm just seeking clarification that the information I give will only be used for the purposes of security clearance and not for the hiring manager to be informed of my weekly grocery shop or for HMRC to investigate why I get paid €12.20 from a German bank account paid into my account each month.

Answer for the former: £42
Answer for the latter: My friend is paying me back for a holiday

[Deleted User]

BPSS is just a check of your identity and a check of your name against the security services records. It's nothing to worry about unless you are a 'person of interest'.

chanie

There are 4 elements to BPSS:

Prof of identity and right to work (you are who you say you are and that you have the right to work in the UK)
Qualifications (you have the qualifications to do the job)
Career history (3 years via a references)
Criminal records (normally unspent convictions, but certain departments or roles may have different requirements)

It's pretty standard for most organisations to check the first three elements when they offer someone a job. Most probably won't ask about criminal convictions, but the rehabilitation periods have been decreased, so records are wiped a lot quicker now.

If on the off chance you have a criminal conviction which is unspent, it's, better to let your employer know in advance and seek advice from HR.

DoggyDooDoo

I'm ok on the criminal record front. I'm just curious as to whether the organisation who carry out the reference checks are likely to share their findings with the hiring company or any other government body if they notice something strange? Or is this illegal?

Basically I do a lot of matched betting with my husband and this usually involves £25k-£40k moving around my bank account each month. I don't want this sharing with my employer or the vetting agency informing HMRC for what is completely legal tax free earnings.

Today's deposits alone were £8k for someone who is on borderline minimum wage :rotfl:

Beartricks

You don't have to justify yourself on here. It makes you seem more suspicious if anything.

As far as I know they can't access your bank details without notifying you and they probably wont bother for an admin role.

I'm actually going through the same checks and I have no idea what's going on as the communication is sporadic. I wonder if we were hired for the same role. Where abouts is it based?

DoggyDooDoo

Manchester. You?

They've asked me to print off 3 months worth of bank statements.

I had issues a few years ago with DWP who seen there was thousands of pounds transactions on my bank statement when I applied for a job with them. In reality it was the same couple of grand going in and out of bookmakers and bingo websites. They opened an investigation as they believed I had too many savings to be claiming JSA. So stressful.

Beartricks

Not Manchester, but in the same general part of the country.

Perhaps they've just asked for bank statements because they've found out that you've been under investigation in the past and they're just making sure.

When did you submit your pre-employment survey, and did you hear anything back after that? I submitted mine but I didn't get an acknowledgement email or anything. They also said they'd be sending me a health questionnaire but I haven't had that one yet either. I know it's normal for the Civil Service hiring process to be a bit slow and quiet, but I don't know whether it's slow or whether I should have heard from them but there's been some kind of mistake.

DoggyDooDoo

I completed the paperwork last Friday and it was sent off, just need to provide proof of address.

I'm through an sgency and completed a health questionnaire with them which was a list of 20 symptoms and illnesses that I either ticked yes or no to.

I've had no further contact though regarding security check, I'm just being paranoid, like if anybody went through my Internet search history :rotfl:

Beartricks

If it gets to the end of the week and I haven't heard anything I'll send them an email. I have a couple of other interviews lined up with various departments in the Civil Service but I could do with knowing when the general start dates will be so I know if I need to get a temp job for a few weeks to tide me over.