Why Disclosure Levels Were Renamed in Scotland and What It Means for Employers

On the 1st April 2025, Scotland introduced a major update to its disclosure system under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020. One of the biggest changes employers will notice is the renaming of disclosure levels into a clearer Level 1 and Level 2 structure.

The previous system included Basic, Standard, Enhanced and PVG checks, which many employers found confusing when deciding the right level for each role. The new naming structure has been designed to simplify this process and make it easier to match the level of disclosure to the responsibilities of the position.

Under the new framework:

• Level 1 Disclosure replaces the old Basic Disclosure and continues to show unspent convictions only
• Level 2 Disclosure replaces Standard Disclosure and includes unspent convictions, relevant spent convictions and other police information.
• Level 2 with Barred List Check replaces Enhanced Disclosure for roles that require a higher level of safeguarding assurance

For employers, the practical benefit is greater clarity. Recruitment teams can now more easily understand which level applies to professional roles, safeguarding positions and regulated work.

The update is also about fairness and proportionality. The legislation introduced a more balanced approach to childhood offences, helping ensure that minor convictions from ages 12 to 17 are not automatically disclosed in most circumstances. This supports safer recruitment while still allowing individuals to move on from historic mistakes.

Another major shift is the move to a digital first disclosure platform, giving applicants more control over how their information is shared and speeding up the application process.

For organisations recruiting in Scotland, these changes make compliance easier, improve transparency and create a more modern, consistent approach to background screening.

Please contact us if you are unsure of the level of Disclosure you require.