Why BPSS clearance is important for national security?
BPSS or Baseline Personnel Security Standard describes the necessity of background check of UK government employees. It is important in maintaining national security by lowering the risk of illegal workers and identity fraud. It reflects the level of screening, especially for those individuals who are handling potentially sensible information. Furthermore, one should pay around £115.00 to initiate the process of the BPSS check and wait for at least 7 to 10 business days.
Why BPSS clearance is essential?
BPSS clearance acts as a pre-employment screening for people working in government departments and confirms their identity. By confirming employees’ legal rights to work in the United Kingdom, it increases trustworthiness and integrity in the government system. It is a must process because many people access the Public Services Network (PSN) networks and the government intranets (Wide Area Networks). Therefore, there are huge chances of using confidential information in wrongdoings. To protect national security and create a more secured gateway, this security standard is included in the recruitment process. If you are working with the following areas, you have to go through BPSS clearance:
· Civil servants of UK governments
· Personals of UK armed force
· Government contractors
· Temporary employees of any UK government organization
Information to be asked under BPSS screening
Through BPSS screening, you must provide essential information to the government and make yourself applicable for government jobs. However, you can’t apply BPSS check on yourself; it’s your employer who can request for this process to happen. Besides, there are 4 main sections for BPSS verification based on RICE:
· Right to work: It describes the eligibility of an employee in terms of immigration status and nationality.
· Identity verification: In this process, your ID data authentication is performed by checking driving licenses, visa documents, passports, and address proof.
· Criminal record: As a part of BPSS security clearance, your criminal record will be evaluated.
· Employment history: It includes an inspection of your employment status of at least 3 years.
Final stage of BPSS certificate
Once you are done with BPSS clearance, you are ready to serve under the UK government workflow. All the data and information of verified individuals are kept under the BPSS verification record. It is stored on your personal file and retained by a new employer. One should know that only a few people can access this individual personal file on a “need to know” basis.
It is easy to transfer the BPSS record from one to another company. Any new organization can request to get the record and check the verification status of an employee before hiring him or her. Under the Data Protection Act 1998, the new firm must confirm the data disclosed on the BPSS check is protected and constrained.
Good to know that there is no expiry date if one is certified with BPSS clearance. Though, the immigration status of non-UK-born workers is checked by the government every 12 months. It helps them to ensure that they are still good to work and have legal rights.
