| Date | Category | Guidance | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional standards | Vetting | Section 1 1.4 – Addition of The Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 (PVR)
Section 2 No changes
Section 3 3.1.1 – Addition of term ‘vetting authority’ 3.3.6.a – Removal of term ‘flagstone intelligence marker’ 3.4 – Clarification of role of FVM as vetting authority 3.4.2 – Addition of PVR 3.4.2 – Addition of bullet point ‘Ensure that clearances are terminated when they expire, are no longer required or withdrawn.’ 3.4.2 – Addition of bullet point ‘Consider adopting the additional recommended templates and guidance that accompany this APP, available from the College of Policing.’ 3.8.2 – Addition of PVR or any contract of employment 3.10.4 – Addition of ‘If a new vetting applicant is currently under investigation for an offence, including being on police bail, their vetting application will be discontinued. A new vetting application may be submitted once the matter is finalised.’
Section 4 No changes
Section 5 5.3.3.a – Removal of ‘only’ 5.5.1.c – Removal of appeals information for chief constables 5.5.4.c – Addition of ‘to such a department’
Section 6 6.2.2 – Addition of two bullet points: A record of withdrawal assessments, including the decision on the outcome and the finding in any appeal. A record of police personnel who have resigned or retired prior to the conclusion of any withdrawal assessment procedure 6.3.1 – Amendment of ‘harm-test’ for disclosure 6.5.2.c – Removal of term ‘flagstone intelligence marker’. Addition of ‘or vetting’. 6.5.2.f – Addition of ‘The PND Data Upload Status document is available on the bulletin board on PND and in the ‘Police National Database (PND)’ Group on Knowledge Hub (login required).’ 6.5.17.b – Addition of ‘which could impact suitability for vetting clearance or role’ 6.5.9.a – Addition of ‘served’
Section 7 7.1.5 – Addition of Where adverse information may reasonably lead to vetting clearance being withdrawn, a withdrawal assessment procedure should commence – see 9.13. 7.2.2.a – Addition of RV to RV as a role move for police staff to police officer 7.2.2.b – Addition of ‘the option to complete a full vetting review or a new vetting application’ 7.3.7 – Addition of ‘may lead to a withdrawal assessment’. Deletion of ‘declined’ 7.4.2.a – Amendment of ‘these circumstances’ to ‘cases of changes in employment group’ 7.4.3.a – Deletion of ‘contractual’ 7.4.3.b – Deletion of ‘contractual’ 7.5.2.c – Amendment of ‘and withdrawal’ to ‘or review’ 7.7.6 – Addition of ‘For the purpose of mutual aid, forces will accept the parent force’s vetting clearance unless a higher level of vetting is absolutely necessary to perform the role required.’
Section 8 8.5.3.a – Addition of bullet point ‘Previous decline or withdrawal of police vetting clearance.’ 8.5.6 – Vetting interviews section amended 8.6.4 – Amendment of Police (Performance) Regulations to PVR 8.6.4.c – Amendment of Police (Performance) Regulations to PVR 8.6.5.a – Addition of PVR 8.7.2.f – Addition of ‘on renewal’
Section 9 9.2 – Amendment of wording to ‘decline or withdraw’ 9.3 – Addition of on renewal and amendment of declining to withdrawing 9.8.3 – Addition of ‘where the vetting applicant’s circumstances have changed or where any risk has been sufficiently reduced or can be mitigated.’ 9.10.2 – Addition of ‘abide by’ 9.12 – Suspension section rewritten 9.13 – Declining and withdrawing clearance for existing internal police personnel section rewritten 9.14.7 – Addition of or withdrawal 9.15.4 – Removal of harm test 9.15.6 – Removal of link to Appendix S
Section 10 Vetting appeals section rewritten to comply with PVR and give guidance for police staff and other applicants appeal processes
Section 11 11.4 – Addition of ‘A new vetting application for the associated level of police vetting will be required prior to applying for NSV clearance, unless the police vetting was granted in the previous 12 months and the vetting applicant’s circumstances have not changed.’
Appendix A National vetting data framework 1. Addition of shared clearance in application terminology table 2. Addition of shared clearance in vetting outcomes list 3. Amendment to renewal description for accuracy 4. Updated references where required
Appendix B Annual integrity and vetting review Amendment of wording in Workplace Relationships section to mirror Workplace Relationships Guidance
Appendix C PND flagstone intelligence marker text template for adverse recruitment information Change title to PND intelligence report text template for adverse recruitment or vetting information
Appendix D No change
Appendix E No change
Appendix F Transferee vetting – intelligence disclosure good practice advice for forces Change title to ‘Sensitive intelligence – good practice advice for forces
Appendix G No change
Appendix H No change
Appendix I Police vetting form questions and guidance In ‘Investigations’ pop up guidance – amendment to how an application is dealt with if there is an ongoing investigation
Appendix J No change
Appendix K Vetting decision record form Addition of The Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 in powers and policy section Removal of withdrawal as an option.
Appendix L Police vetting appeal panel memorandum of understanding Removed from APP.
Appendix M Aide-memoire for vetting decision making Updated references where required
Appendix N Common vetting risk categories 3.4 addition of wording ‘and the rationale is fully documented’ 5.1 addition of wording ‘where they have revealed a current or previous relevant profession’ 6.4.2 Addition of information and links for further guidance on disclosure 8 Amendment to position re barred list and NPPV clearances
Appendix O Conducting vetting interviews Appendix O becomes Appendix L Amendments required to make clear the difference between a vetting interview (now called exploratory vetting interviews’) and those taking place under PVR/police staff withdrawal process Amendment re providing a rationale only in the case of decline and on request as was original intention Addition of providing a copy of notes on request as per 2021 APP
Appendix P Rehabilitation of Offenders Act guidance for decision makers Appendix P becomes Appendix O
Appendix Q Dismissal process This has been removed as it is no longer required due to PVR
Appendix R Sample financial scoring sheet Appendix R becomes Appendix P
Appendix S Sample letter of declined vetting This has been removed. Due to PVR, separate templates will need to be created for different vetting applicant types and will be provided outside of the Vetting APP.
Appendix T Sample vetting appeal form Due to PVR, separate templates will need to be created for different vetting applicant types and will be provided outside of the Vetting APP.
Appendix U Glossary Appendix U becomes Appendix Q Additional clarification of focused vetting review definition Amendment of vetting suspended definition Addition of vetting terminated definition |
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| Professional standards | Vetting | A notice has been added to state that the Vetting APP should now be read with the judgment of the High Court in Di Maria v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis |
|
| Professional standards | Professional standards - Guidance overview | Professional standards governance page decommissioned |
|
| Professional standards | Vetting | Added 'Supporting materials' section. Removed duplicate link to Vetting Code of Practice. Removed line 'APP on Vetting 2023 is hosted as a guidance document on the National Police Library, which allows for a specific numbered format.' |
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| Professional standards | Vetting | Vetting APP 2021 replaced with Vetting APP 2024 |
|
| Professional standards | Vetting | Updated link to Vetting Code of Practice |
|
| Professional standards | Vetting | Updated link to Vetting Code of Practice (2023). |
|
| Professional standards | Vetting | APP revised to 2021 version. |
|
| Professional standards | Vetting | Revised APP on Vetting published - pdf version. |
|
| Professional standards | Professional standards - Guidance overview | References to IPCC changed to IOPC throughout this APP. |
|
| Professional standards | Vetting | New vetting APP launched under Professional Standards. |
