From 1 April 2025, the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme becomes a legal requirement, as part of the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020.
The Act aims to modernise and improve the disclosure system in Scotland, by focusing on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, while acknowledging the need for people with previous convictions to move on from them and contribute to society.
From 1 April 2026, the lifetime PVG scheme membership will end. This will be replaced with a 5-year membership, which must be renewed every 5 years. Current PVG members are not required to renew their membership at present.
If you are already a PVG scheme member and are currently in a regulated role, or are intending to carry out a regulated role, you do not need to do anything ahead of 1 April 2025.
From 1 April 2025:
- PVG membership will become a legal requirement for all regulated roles with children and protected adults.
- Disclosure and PVG records will be renamed, for example Enhanced disclosure will become Level 2 disclosure.
- The Scheme Membership Statement (for self-employed staff undertaking regulated work/role) will be renamed as Confirmation of PVG Scheme Membership.
- An Employer must notify Disclosure Scotland when a member stops undertaking a regulated role with them.
- Members of the PVG scheme must inform Disclosure Scotland, within 3 months, when their personal details change.
- New applicants will be required to provide consent for their disclosure information to be shared with the accredited body that countersigned their application. Prior to 1 April 2025, the applicant and countersigning organisation received the results of the PVG application at the same time. This change gives the applicant control of their personal information.
The Protecting Vulnerable Groups pages within the PSM will be updated on 1 April 2025 to reflect these changes.