How HMPPS vetting works

In shortVetting is set by PSI 07/2014, runs on 10 or 7 year cycles, and can be reviewed or lost at several points.

Security vetting for HMPPS staff is set out in the Security Vetting policy, PSI 07/2014, AI 05/2014 and PI 03/2014. The version on gov.uk is dated 20 February 2025, and the publication page was updated on 17 September 2025.

The checks look at identity, criminal records, financial position, and other matters relevant to security and trust. In 2024 and 2025 HMPPS also introduced online digital vetting checks, including social media and associations, for recruits.

Counter-Terrorist Check (CTC)
Required for all staff in the High Security Estate and for some other roles.
Security Check (SC)
A higher level of clearance for some roles.
Developed Vetting (DV)
Rare.
  • Clearance life for directly employed staff: 10 years for CTC and SC (7 years if the person is under 21) and 7 years for DV, with shorter periods for non-directly employed staff.
  • SC and DV holders also complete an annual security review form.
  • At renewal you are checked again, and you must declare all criminal offences, cautions, reprimands and fixed penalties, in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 and criminal record filtering.
  • Probation staff moving to other HMPPS prison or HQ locations get checks on spent as well as unspent convictions.

Points at which clearance can be reviewed or lost

  1. RenewalAt the end of clearance life
  2. ChangeAfter a disclosed change in circumstances
  3. IncidentAfter an incident or investigation
  4. ExclusionAfter an exclusion

What is not published

We have verified the published policy, but the detailed internal procedures on what happens operationally when a clearance is questioned, such as whether a person is moved to restricted duties or suspended while a decision is made, are not published and we do not describe them.

Your duty to report changes in circumstances

In shortVetting does not stop on day one: you must report changes in circumstances, and the England and Wales time limit is not stated in the sources we opened.

The aftercare section of PSI 07/2014 requires staff to report changes in their circumstances, and Annex F lists the changes that must be reported. The policy also says individuals should report changes involving partners and criminal associates.

  • Change of address, marriage, civil partnership or cohabiting, new housemates
  • Relationships or relatives abroad
  • Finances such as large receipts or hardship
  • Involvement in criminal activity, criminal charges, warnings or convictions
  • Involvement with any individual, group, society or organisation that may be of security concern
  • Disciplinary procedures, and security incidents including employer sanctions for code of conduct misconduct

How to report

  • The time limit for reporting in England and Wales is not stated in the sources we opened, so do not guess: ask your line manager or the vetting team. For comparison, the Scottish Prison Service code says that some matters should normally be reported within 72 hours, but that is not the England and Wales rule.
  • If in doubt, report promptly and in writing, and keep a copy.
  • The HMPPS counter corruption policy tells staff to declare private interests, including secondary employment and relationships with offenders, on the standard conflict of interest form; completing the form is not an admission of corruption. See our guides on declarable associations and outside employment.
Vetting levels and cycles for directly employed HMPPS staff (PSI 07/2014, revised 20 February 2025)
LevelUsed forClearance lifeReview
Counter-Terrorist Check (CTC)All staff in the High Security Estate and some other roles10 years (7 if under 21)Renewal at end of life; report changes in circumstances
Security Check (SC)Roles needing higher clearance10 years (7 if under 21)Annual security review form; renewal
Developed Vetting (DV)Rare, highly sensitive roles7 yearsAnnual security review form; renewal

Non-directly employed staff have shorter clearance lives. Source: Security Vetting PSI 07/2014 (PDF opened 3 October 2026).

What can lead to clearance being refused or withdrawn

In shortThere is no published exhaustive list of grounds; clearance depends on security and trust, and an exclusion withdraws vetting status.

The published vetting policy does not provide an exhaustive list of grounds, and we will not invent one. What can be said from the documents we opened is that clearance depends on security and trust. Likely triggers are listed below.

  • A failure to disclose: the policy says that non-disclosure by an applicant is likely to mean refusal with no reapplication for 12 months
  • Criminal charges, cautions or convictions
  • Serious financial difficulty
  • Association with people of security concern
  • An investigation or finding relating to corruption or inappropriate relationships
  • An exclusion from working for HMPPS

The link to the exclusions framework

When an exclusion is reported, the framework says the vetting team withdraws the individual's vetting status.

The framework lists behaviours that bear on security and trust: inappropriate relationships with prisoners or people on probation; conveyance of unauthorised items; unauthorised access or disclosure of information; threatening or harassing behaviour.

It also lists anything leading to a criminal caution or prosecution whether work related or not, and serious security breaches involving keys, locks, radios, uniform or equipment. So a conduct case can have a vetting consequence even if the disciplinary outcome is not dismissal, depending on the facts.

Free toolPrison officer vetting checkerUnderstand what vetting looks at and what you need to declare, with links to the published rules.Open the free vetting checker

Withdrawal after dismissal, resignation or exclusion

In shortA dismissal for gross misconduct, or a resignation followed by exclusion, withdraws your vetting status, and you can appeal an exclusion within 15 working days.

You can appeal an exclusion in writing to Personnel Security Vetting within 15 working days of notification, on grounds including incorrect or incomplete evidence, disproportionality or excessive length. Our guides to misconduct and future employment and resigning during an investigation cover the exclusion process in more detail.

The practical result of a withdrawn status is that you cannot work in a role that requires it. Other organisations that rely on HMPPS vetting, or that ask about your history, may take the withdrawal into account.

HMPPS counter corruption policy says, in relation to corruption, that it is likely that people dismissed will not be allowed to work in the service again and that it may also affect public sector employment because of the effect on security vetting.

When vetting status is withdrawn

  • You are dismissed for gross misconduct, or for misconduct that poses a safety or security risk, and the decision-maker places you on the Exclusions Register.
  • You resign during an investigation and are excluded afterwards.
  • A person who is suspended may be temporarily excluded, which can affect a move to another HMPPS role.

Challenging a vetting decision

In shortTwo routes are visible: the exclusions appeal and a reconsideration route whose text we have not opened.

If you are told your clearance has been refused or withdrawn, ask for the decision in writing, the reasons as far as they can be given (security vetting often limits what can be disclosed), the policy relied on, and how and when to challenge it. Ask your POA rep to attend any meeting.

Where the vetting issue sits alongside an employment issue, such as a dismissal because you can no longer hold clearance, the employment questions are separate.

A tribunal can consider whether the employer acted reasonably in dismissing for lack of clearance, including whether alternatives were considered, but we found no published HMPPS statement of what alternatives are routinely considered, and a tribunal does not review the substance of national security decisions in the way it reviews ordinary decisions.

Take legal advice on that question.

Route 1: exclusions appeal
Described above, it applies when exclusion has been decided. The PSI 07/2014 summary says that appeals against decisions of the Approvals and Compliance Team link to the exclusions policy appeal right.
Route 2: reconsideration
PSI 05/2015, Reconsideration of NOMS central vetting decisions by exception, appears on the gov.uk PSI index as extant. We have not opened its text, so we do not state its criteria, deadlines or who decides.
  1. Ask for the decision in writing, with reasons as far as they can be given and the policy relied on.
  2. Ask for the appeal or reconsideration route and the deadline; diarise 15 working days for an exclusion appeal.
  3. Contact the POA or a solicitor before responding in detail.
  4. Gather evidence relevant to the stated concerns: documents, character references, proof of changes.
  5. If your job is at risk, ask HR what alternative roles or adjustments are being considered.
  6. Keep a note of tribunal time limits (generally six months from 1 October 2026 after Acas early conciliation).
Free toolMisconduct process navigatorAnswer a few questions about where you are in a conduct process and see the published steps, what is not public, and who to call.Open the free process navigator

Protecting your clearance before there is a problem

In shortThe best protection is honesty and prompt written reporting; when in doubt, declare.

HMPPS counter corruption policy says that early disclosure is encouraged and treated sensitively. See our guide to vetting, debt and finances for how it works at the recruitment stage.

Protect your clearance

  • Declare changes, even if you think they are minor, and do so in writing. Ask the vetting team if you are unsure whether something counts.
  • Do not hide a debt, an arrest or a new relationship with someone of concern, and do not try to manage it yourself.
  • Look after your finances: serious financial difficulty is on the list of things to report and can make staff vulnerable to approaches. If you are in debt, seek advice from free debt advice services and tell your manager if it is serious.
  • Think about your associations. If a friend, relative or partner has a criminal background, or you meet someone who turns out to be linked to a prisoner, declare it.
  • If you are approached by a prisoner or an associate and feel pressured, tell your Local Counter Corruption Manager, use the Integrity Hotline, or speak to your POA rep. Do not try to handle it alone.

Looking after yourself if your clearance is questioned

In shortA clearance review is stressful: keep to your usual standard, look after your health and think early about money and pension.

A clearance review is stressful because it can affect your job, income and reputation, and often you cannot be told everything.

While your clearance is questioned

  • Keep working to the standard you normally do, avoid discussing it on social media, and do not contact people involved in the underlying concern.
  • Look after your health and use the Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health.
  • If you are signed off sick, remember that sickness does not stop an HMPPS process automatically; see sickness absence management.
  • Consider the financial picture: if clearance is withdrawn, your employment may be at risk. Think about your pension options (see misconduct and your pension), your mortgage and other commitments, and speak early to a debt advice or financial adviser if needed.
  • The Misconduct Response Pack can help you keep your own timeline and documents together.
Paid toolMisconduct response packA structured workbook for your own timeline, evidence list, questions for your rep and preparation notes. It does not replace union or legal advice.See the response pack

Frequently asked questions

What level of security clearance does a prison officer need?

HMPPS staff are vetted at Counter-Terrorist Check level as a minimum for the High Security Estate and some other roles, with Security Check for some posts and Developed Vetting rarely. For directly employed staff clearance lasts 10 years for CTC and SC (7 if under 21) and 7 years for DV, per PSI 07/2014.

What must I report to the vetting team?

PSI 07/2014 Annex F lists changes including address, marriage, civil partnership or cohabiting, new housemates, relationships abroad, finances, involvement in criminal activity, criminal charges, warnings or convictions, involvement with groups of security concern, disciplinary procedures and employer sanctions for code of conduct misconduct.

Ask for the time limit; we could not verify it for England and Wales.

Does an exclusion mean my clearance is withdrawn?

Yes. The Exclusion from Working for HMPPS Policy Framework says the vetting team withdraws the individual's vetting status when an exclusion is reported. You can appeal the exclusion in writing within 15 working days of notification, on grounds such as incorrect evidence or disproportionality.

Can I reapply if I failed vetting for non-disclosure?

The policy says non-disclosure by an applicant is likely to mean refusal with no reapplication for 12 months. Declare all offences, cautions, reprimands and fixed penalties accurately when you reapply, and ask the vetting team if you are unsure what to declare.

How do I challenge a vetting decision?

The published material points to the exclusions appeal right, where relevant, and to PSI 05/2015 on reconsideration by exception, whose text we have not seen. Ask in writing for the reasons, the policy relied on and the appeal route and deadline, and take POA or legal advice before responding.

Can I be dismissed if my security clearance is withdrawn?

It is possible, because holding clearance is a condition of working in a prison. A fair process, consideration of alternatives where realistic and a right of appeal are expected. Unfair dismissal needs the qualifying service, now two years, falling to six months for dismissals on or after 1 January 2027. Discrimination claims need no service.

Sources