3rd March 2026
Disclosure Act update – Disclosure Scotland
Important note on fees
There will be no additional cost related to the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme five-year membership change on 1 April 2026 or the separate renewal process. You will continue to be charged per disclosure application for individuals in paid roles, as you are currently. Volunteer disclosure applications will continue to be fee waivered. You can read more about PVG scheme applications and the cost for each type of application on Disclosure Scotland’s website.
Renewal process will be separate from PVG scheme application process
Renewing your PVG scheme membership will not be the same as applying for a disclosure, these processes will be separate. Renewals will be made through your online account – with an offline process in place for anyone who is unable to use the digital service. Every five years, you will have to renew your PVG scheme membership. You can read more on Disclosure Scotland’s website.
No change to current application process
The 1 April 2026 update does not impact your current application processes. Please do not apply for a PVG scheme application earlier than you would usually or change how often you would apply. You should continue to submit your applications as you normally would.
1 April 2026 and moving existing PVG scheme members to a five-year membership
From 1 April 2026, applications made to the PVG scheme will move individuals over to a five-year membership, ending their lifetime membership. Those who do not make an application will be moved to a five-year membership by Disclosure Scotland. You do not need to do anything, and Disclosure Scotland will contact scheme members before they intend to move you.
Disclosure Scotland’s email notifications will be updated to reflect the five-year membership period, you can see an example email notification below, where the individuals membership expires on 1 May 2031.
