Umbrella Bodies
Definition
An Umbrella body is an organisation which has registered with AccessNI to make applications for Standard and Enhanced Disclosures on behalf of other organisations or individuals who are eligible for disclosures, but do not wish to register.
Some smaller organisations may not wish to become a Registered Body in their own right and may prefer to use the services of a larger organisation which has already registered with AccessNI and can deliver all of the necessary services on their behalf, including processing the Disclosure Applications.
These larger organisations are known as Umbrella Bodies.
Organisations wishing to become Umbrella Bodies must:
Notify AccessNI when they apply to register and must comply with AccessNI’s guidelines including the Code of Practice.
Tell their customers and AccessNI if they are charging for the service and the cost of the service.
Not make any recruitment decisions
Ensure that exactly the same arrangements apply in terms of the management of Disclosures and the requirement to comply with the Code of Practice includes the organisation using the Umbrella Body,and
Take responsibility for the handling of any information which they relay to any other party.
Employers using Umbrella Bodies must :
comply with the model used by the Registered Body (RB) they are making their application through, and
adhere to the safe practices adopted by that RB and which are part of the compliance procedures expected by AccessNI
be aware that this could result in delays to their organisation’s recruitment procedures.
Why employers may wish to use the services of an Umbrella Body:
- It will act as an interface between them and AccessNI;
- It will administer, process and acquire the AccessNI check on their behalf;
- It can offer advice and experience in handling and processing checks which could mean a more effective service for all;
- If only a small number of checks are carried out each year;
- They may not wish to pay AccessNI’s registration fee;
- They may need help in compliance with the Code of Practice;
- They may not have the necessary administrative resource or the relevant expertise in handling criminal record information.