A basic DBS check is the first level of criminal record check in the UK, and is available for any position or purpose. This type shows the details of convictions and conditional cautions that are considered to be unspent under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. Put simply, these can be termed as anything serious and/or recent.
The acronym DBS is short for The Disclosure and Barring Service, which helps employees make safer recruitment decisions, and is a government body that is sponsored by the Home Office. A basic DBS check (formerly known as a CRB check) is also sometimes referred to as a basic criminal record check, or a basic disclosure.