Risk of failing Security Clearance

woodbricks

I have an offer for a role that requires Security Clearance (SC). I've never applied for SC before and looking at the application information they check your financial history. I spent a good few years paying high nursery fees for my kids and as a result have a high balance on my credit cards. Ive always kept up to date with my minimum payments though. Now the kids are older I'm starting to slowly lower the balance on the cards and should pay them off in a few years. Would this be an example of financial difficulties that would cause some to be rejected for SC? The last thing I want to do is hand in my notice at my existing job, fail the SC and find myself looking for another job.

unforeseen

Debt doesn't really matter, it's how you are handling it is what they are really interested in. 

74jax

woodbricks said:

I have an offer for a role that requires Security Clearance (SC). I've never applied for SC before and looking at the application information they check your financial history. I spent a good few years paying high nursery fees for my kids and as a result have a high balance on my credit cards. Ive always kept up to date with my minimum payments though. Now the kids are older I'm starting to slowly lower the balance on the cards and should pay them off in a few years. Would this be an example of financial difficulties that would cause some to be rejected for SC? The last thing I want to do is hand in my notice at my existing job, fail the SC and find myself looking for another job.

Regardless of what you think about your clearance and what may come up, do not hand your notice in until you have an unconditional contract. Anything could happen between handing your notice in and getting the all-clear to start.

TELLIT01

74jax said:

Regardless of what you think about your clearance and what may come up, do not hand your notice in until you have an unconditional contract. Anything could happen between handing your notice in and getting the all-clear to start.

Exactly that.  I was told at interview that the job was mine and I would have a formal job offer within a few days.  I received nothing and the person who had interviewed me was never available when I called, and never returned my calls.  That obviously got the alarm bells ringing so I contacted the HR department who told me a freeze had been put on recruitment a couple of days after my interview.  Nobody bothered to tell me but fortunately I hadn't quit my existing job.

Benni1878

It's very hard to fail SC. If you're honest, you'll be absolutely fine. I know of 3 people who have had multiple CCJ's and criminal records and they passed. One of them had to have a face to face meeting, but as I say, is you're honest and you've met the payments it will be a breeze. 

AskAsk

i think you will be fine.  i think you would fail if you had a CCJ or huge outstanding loans where you have missed payments.

Marcon

AskAsk said:

i think you will be fine.  i think you would fail if you had a CCJ or huge outstanding loans where you have missed payments.

A CCJ doesn't necessarily mean you'd fail - would depend on the type of job and the reason security clearance was needed.

techwatcher

You should be fine - high card balances which you are paying down aren't going to be a problem. Debt in general isn't a problem as long as your are doing something about it.

As in all matters clearance-related, you should be completely honest with your responses on the form. 

Bonniepurple

It is an honesty based system.  If you have high debts but are managing them well - and can explain why - then that’s fine.  If you don’t mention something and it’s discovered, then the feeling is what else haven’t you mentioned?

Don’t resign until you have a formal offer and start date.  Depending on where you are, SC, is only one of checks, so even once the SC is done,  other checks may take time to come back, and you may be asked for more information.

AskAsk

Marcon said:

AskAsk said:

i think you will be fine.  i think you would fail if you had a CCJ or huge outstanding loans where you have missed payments.

A CCJ doesn't necessarily mean you'd fail - would depend on the type of job and the reason security clearance was needed.

I would think that CCJ would be part of the financial assessment in the following article for SC

OP - here is a link on SC if you haven't already seen it.

https://www.securityclearedjobs.com/staticpages/10296/security-clearance-questions-answered/