Outstanding CRB forms costing people work and homes

Outstanding CRB forms are costing people work and their homes, reports About Buxton. Instead of a two week wait for a standard disclosure check and a four week wait for an enhanced disclosure check, replies can take many months to complete.

Because employers and organisations can face fines of £5,000 per un-vetted staff allowed to work without the correct enhanced CRB in place, employees are being ‘laid off’ until the enhanced check is returned. Consequently, with no income, personal bills can not be paid and debt is amassed. Instances of homes repossessed due to outstanding CRBs are increasing.

Currently, there is no benefit support scheme to assist those employed but with no income waiting for CRB checks to be completed.

The Conservatives have pledged to look into the whole system if they win the next General Election, but that is little consolation to those whose family sanctuary has already been repossessed / about to be repossessed.

One care provider stated online that her employer had waited eight months for forms to be replied to: “people looking for work are on jobseekers and are being sent to three interviews per week even though they have a job, but are waiting for the CRB. It’s ridiculous considering this is a much needed service but its being made so difficult for people to get into a job in care.”

Hundreds of innocent people ‘wrongly branded criminals’

Enhanced CRB forms can also sometimes disclose unproven allegations; “soft” information, rumour and hearsay, even where this information has never been heard in a court, and sometimes even when this information has been heard and the person concerned acquitted.

Broken system

In 2009, Richard Baum, the Liberal Democrat Councillor for the St Mary’s ward of Bury Council, and Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Bury North, said on his website: “Over £600m has now been spent by private firms, the government, and individual job applicants, paying for CRB checks, which are necessary background checks performed prior to taking up work with vulnerable adults and all young people. Despite the need to ensure that people are safe, it is now clear that the system is broken.”

“I have long been campaigning for a fairer system for “enhanced” CRB checks, which can currently include hearsay evidence, unproven and contested accusations and rumour.”

Jenny Willott, the Lib Dem Cabinet Office Spokesperson, has said that “something is seriously wrong. These comments come as the Lib Dems reveal that the cost of a CRB check has risen by 45% in the last three years. At the same time, the number of delays of more than one month has greatly increased. Last year over 400,000 people were stopped from starting jobs or voluntary placements by delays in the system of over a month.”

culture of suspicion

“Of course it’s necessary to protect the vulnerable. But the government has gone too far in its attempts to create a risk-free society that can never realistically be achieved. We have now arrived at a situation so mired in bureaucracy that millions of people are paying lots of money for checks that many of them don’t need, and often have to repeat each time they change employer or role or even place of work.”

Mr Baum added “I ask for anyone who has been in touch previously about a CRB problem, or who would like to get in touch about one, to do so. If you want I can pass your details on to those interested in giving more publicity to trying to reform the system.”

We would also like to hear if your circumstances have been affected by overdue CRB checks. Please contact buxtonnews@googlemail.com

Sources:

Richard Baum

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Outstanding CRB forms costing people work and homes

Hundreds of innocent people ‘wrongly branded criminals’

Broken system

culture of suspicion

We would also like to hear if your circumstances have been affected by overdue CRB checks. Please contact buxtonnews@googlemail.com

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