11th November 2022

Fee waiver for PVG’s for new paid roles within the Social Care Sector

Scottish Government will cover the cost of PVG checks for Social Care Workers (and comparable roles in Justice and Children’s Services) from 1 October 2022 – 31 March 2023.

Anyone starting a new job in certain roles within the social care sector, and comparable roles in justice and children’s services are again now eligible to have their Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) costs paid if you apply for PVG by 31 March 2023.

The Scottish Government has reintroduced these measures in recognition of the recruitment pressures currently affecting this sector. You can find out more about this trial here.

These measures are intended to help encourage more staff to join the social care profession.  We will cover the cost of Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) checks for people in eligible roles (see list of eligible roles below).

PVG checks cost between £18 and £59. You can find out more about fees for PVG checks on the Disclosure Scotland website. 

All applications must be made by 31 March 2023.

This trial has been backdated to 1 October 2022 to maximise the benefit to the sector.

If you applied for PVG for a role eligible for this fee waiver on or after 1 October 2022, you should apply to Disclosure Scotland for a refund. You can do this by contacting Disclosure Scotland’s Finance team directly via email (DSFinanceOps@disclosurescotland.gov.scot).

More information on refunds is available on the Disclosure Scotland website. 

Eligibility

To qualify for PVG fees to be waived, the person applying for the role must:

  • have started a new job or taken up a new position with your existing employer in an eligible role (see below), AND
  • have applied for a PVG check between 1 October 2022 and no later than 31 March 2023 – any applications outside these dates will not be eligible

In all other cases, for example if you have a policy of periodically re-checking your existing staff, the PVG costs must be paid as normal.

Eligible roles

To be eligible for this trial, you must be working in a new role of:

  • manager
  • supervisor
  • practitioner, or
  • support worker

AND be working in one of the following areas:

  • Adult services
  • care homes
  • care at home services
  • housing support
  • day care services
  • Children’s services
  • residential childcare
  • residential school care accommodation
  • Justice services
  • offender accommodation 

Please note: Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) roles are not covered.

Examples

The following roles would meet the criteria to have the fee waived:

Workforce in scope – Adult Services

Broad title

  • Managers in Care Home Services / Care at Home Services / Housing Support Services / Day Care Services
  • Supervisor in Care Home Services / Care at Home Services / Housing Support Services / Day Care Services
  • Practitioner in Care Home Services / Care at Home Services / Housing Support Services / Day Care Services
  • Support Worker in Care Home Services / Care at Home Services / Housing Support Services / Day Care Services

 

Workforce in scope – Children’s Services

Broad title

  • Managers in Residential Child Care Services, Residential School Care Accommodation Services
  • Supervisor in, Residential Child Care Services, Residential School Care Accommodation Services
  • Practitioner in, Residential Child Care Services, Residential School Care Accommodation Services
  • Support Worker in, Residential Child Care Services, Residential School Care Accommodation Service

How to apply

When submitting your free social care PVG checks, please follow this process:

  1. Email header – Enter FSC and then PVG Online applications x 
  2. Position applied for field in the applicant request – Enter FSC before the position applied for.