1st April 2026
Disclosure Scotland update: Five-year PVG scheme
What you need to know
On the 1st April 2026, the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme moved to a five-year membership. This reform is an important step towards a safer, more accurate system – one that better reflects who is actively carrying out regulated roles and gives organisations the confidence that their records are up to date and data is secure.
Some important points to remember:
Five-year membership does not affect your current application processes. Do not apply for a PVG scheme application earlier than your normal process or change how often you would apply.
- There is no added cost related to five-year membership.
- Anyone who makes a PVG scheme application from 1 April will be automatically entered into the five-year PVG scheme.
- Those who do not make an application will be moved to the five-year PVG scheme by Disclosure Scotland. This will be done in batches in order of the date you joined. You do not need to do anything, and Disclosure Scotland will contact scheme members before they intend to move you. This work will not start immediately – Disclosure Scotland will let you know when they expect it to begin.
There is more information on the five-year scheme and how your PVG scheme membership is changing on Disclosure Scotland’s website.
Important for PVG scheme members: Tell Disclosure Scotland your email address
If you are a PVG scheme member who has not recently applied for PVG (for example, you haven’t applied since PVG moved online in 2021), it is important that you tell Disclosure Scotland your current email address, if you have not already done so. They need this so that they can contact you easily in the future to tell you when you are moving to the five-year scheme and how to create your online account.
Please email dsupdate@disclosurescotland.gov.scot with the subject header ‘Email address update,’ and provide your:
- Name
- Date of birth
- PVG scheme number
- Current email address
Deciding if your role is a regulated role
Deciding on the correct level of disclosure is a responsibility of the organisation requesting a PVG scheme application. To assist organisations making the regulated role assessment, we have created checklists to help you which are available in our resource section of our website.
You can also contact our training team complianceandtraining@volunteerscotland.org.uk for support or book onto our free training courses.
Disclosure Scotland have provided comprehensive guidance on their website, including sector specific guidance and pre-recorded webinars, to support your decision-making.
These resources should help you to decide if the roles within your organisation which individuals are going to carry out, or that you will offer someone, requires PVG scheme membership or not. PVG scheme disclosures must only be used for roles that fit the legislative criteria.