Security Clearance; hard or soft search?

nowaypedro

Hi,

I am about to renew my security clearance for work and wondered if anybody knew whether the finance check they do is a hard or soft search?

I am waiting to complete on a house purchase so if the search they do is a hard one I would rather delay my clearance application until the mortgage has completed. 

I have searched online but cannot find a definite answer. 

Any advice appreciated! 

MattMattMattUK

nowaypedro said:

Hi,

I am about to renew my security clearance for work and wondered if anybody knew whether the finance check they do is a hard or soft search?

I am waiting to complete on a house purchase so if the search they do is a hard one I would rather delay my clearance application until the mortgage has completed. 

I have searched online but cannot find a definite answer. 

Any advice appreciated! 

Soft, sort of, checks handled directly by the government do not show at all, some thirty party company "security checks" do get recorded as soft.

You are not applying for credit, they are just checking you have been honest and are not in financial distress.

kassy64

All depends on who the security clearance is for. Usually they will be checking you have no major 'debt' issues above and beyond day to day life debt which majority of people have. Having a major debt on a credit card for example could compromise your position and make you vulnerable to bribery and or corruption etc.

Paul_01

Always soft or not recorded at all.