A temp who has just been offered six weeks of admin or IT support work at a council office, a government department or an NHS body is often told the start date depends on BPSS clearance. The email rarely says what that means. This guide is for anyone in that position, so you can send the right papers in one go and start on the day the client wants you.
BPSS stands for the Baseline Personnel Security Standard. It is the screening the government expects for anyone who works with its information or sites, and the published standard (version 7.0, June 2024, on GOV.UK) says it applies to contractors and temporary staff as well as employees. People call it clearance. Strictly it is the entry level check, and the higher national security vetting levels such as SC are separate processes that build on it.
The four checks inside BPSS clearance
The standard has four parts. The first is identity, checked against photo ID with your full name, date of birth and current address. The second is your right to work in the UK, done the same way any employer must do it, either from your passport or through a share code if you hold an eVisa or settled status.
The third part is employment history. The organisation has to verify at least the last three years of work, study or training, usually through employer references or your HMRC PAYE record. Self employment has to be verified too, so invoices, a tax return or an accountant’s letter help. The fourth part is a criminal record check for unspent convictions only.
Where temps usually get held up
Gaps are the most common delay. The standard says the organisation should get references or evidence for any gap of six months or more in the last three years, whether that is one long break or several short ones added together. Time spent travelling, caring for family, studying or looking for work is fine. It just needs something on paper, such as a course letter, a benefits letter or a short statement from someone who knew you then.
Time abroad is the second. If you have lived outside the UK for six months or more in the last three years, the organisation must get supporting evidence, and it may ask for a criminal record certificate from that country. Living abroad does not rule you out. It does take longer, so mention it the moment the job is offered.
The third is old referees. A manager who has moved on, or a company that has closed, can stall the whole file. Have a second contact for each job ready, and if you were paid through PAYE, your HMRC personal tax account shows your past employers, which you can print or screenshot to fill the gap.
Getting a basic DBS certificate
The criminal record part of BPSS is a basic check. In England and Wales it comes from the Disclosure and Barring Service, in Scotland from Disclosure Scotland and in Northern Ireland from AccessNI. A basic DBS check costs £20 from 5 October 2026, down from £21.50, and you can apply for one yourself online at GOV.UK.
The certificate has no expiry date, but the standard lets each organisation decide whether to accept one more than 90 days old. Many will not. If yours is older, ask before you rely on it. An enhanced DBS from a care or school job is a different certificate and the client may still want a basic one for this role, so check rather than assume.
Does BPSS carry over from your last job
BPSS has no validity period. Once passed, it is not withdrawn. The standard does say the checks should normally be reviewed when someone moves to another organisation, returns after a break of more than 12 months, or reports a change in their circumstances. In practice a new client will usually run its own checks, though a recent pass at another department can speed things up if you can show it. Keep a copy of every document you send.
Working through an agency
When you are placed by an agency, the agency often collects your documents and the client or its screening provider makes the decision. The standard allows organisations to hand all or part of the process to a supplier under contract. Either way, the questions are the same, and you will be asked to agree to the checks in writing. The standard is clear that refusing BPSS means the offer is withdrawn.
An agency cannot charge you a fee for finding you work, under section 6 of the Employment Agencies Act 1973. If you are told otherwise, ask what the fee is for and get it in writing.
What to have ready before you are asked
Before you apply for public sector temp work, gather your passport or share code, a recent proof of address, the names and contact details of everyone you worked for in the last three years, evidence for any gap of six months or more, and a basic DBS certificate under 90 days old. With those in one folder, nobody has to chase you and the start date holds.
Flamingo Workforce places office, admin and IT support temps across England and Wales, including roles that need BPSS. You can see what is open on our jobs page or register with us through our application form.