Security Clearance

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Original Poster:

39,984 posts

197 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
A friend of mine has been offered a job which requires SC. What level of checking does this involve and how hard/easy is it to fail? For example

Does every organisation go through the same checks, or can they vary?
Do they do checks on your family/friends?
Do they check your internet history and posts on PH, FB etc?
Are the checks on family / friends done anonymously or are they informed beforehand?
What kind of reason would you fail for?

Cheers

pherlopolus

2,088 posts

159 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
https://forums.contractoruk.com/business-contracts...

useful info in that.

Dishonesty is the main reason for failing to get it.

It is done centrally by UK Gov so is consistent, and generally portable, although clearance is with the job not the person and if you don't use it for 12 months you lose it.

tankplanker

2,479 posts

280 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
Does every organisation go through the same checks, or can they vary? Varies on the company/role
Do they do checks on your family/friends? Yes
Do they check your internet history and posts on PH, FB etc? They can do, but unlikely to do so for only SC
Are the checks on family / friends done anonymously or are they informed beforehand? Both, although a F2F interviews for anybody including the applicant/family/friends are rare for SC
What kind of reason would you fail for? Lying, failing to disclose anything that could be used as leverage, poor finances as again leverage, if you come across as untrustworthy

01samuelr

108 posts

171 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
Sc is easy to pass if your honest on the form.
DV is the inteusive one. Family, friends and finances are checked.

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Original Poster:

39,984 posts

197 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
Thanks Pherlo - that looks really helpful. I shall have a peruse.

That suggests that there isn't any checking of family/friends - is that correct?

For example whenever I travel to the US I get pulled over for an extra conversation with DHS because I share the same name as somebody on their watchlist - if the checks are carried out on my mate I assume nobody is going to be bothered that he's friends
with somebody called "Carlos T Jackal" ?

blank

3,464 posts

189 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
pherlopolus said:
if you don't use it for 12 months you lose it.
Are you sure about that?

I'm fairly sure it's valid to the expiry date then you have to renew?

There also isn't really any definition of "using" it as far as I know. Because it just means you are allowed certain levels of access to classified information. There is no central database checking when you last accessed something.

pherlopolus

2,088 posts

159 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
I left a Job requiring SC with 5 years left, new job didn't require it, lost clearance after 12 months.

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Original Poster:

39,984 posts

197 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
tankplanker said:
Does every organisation go through the same checks, or can they vary? Varies on the company/role
Do they do checks on your family/friends? Yes
Do they check your internet history and posts on PH, FB etc? They can do, but unlikely to do so for only SC
Are the checks on family / friends done anonymously or are they informed beforehand? Both, although a F2F interviews for anybody including the applicant/family/friends are rare for SC
What kind of reason would you fail for? Lying, failing to disclose anything that could be used as leverage, poor finances as again leverage, if you come across as untrustworthy
For SC what checks are carried out on family & friends?

Kccv23highliftcam

1,783 posts

76 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
pherlopolus said:
I left a Job requiring SC with 5 years left, new job didn't require it, lost clearance after 12 months.
What did you get up to?

pherlopolus

2,088 posts

159 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
Hah.

I Simply moved from a job requiring clearance, to one that didn't.

Clearance goes with the job, not the person. It has a finite life if you use it (upto 10 years), but expires after 12 months if you move jobs, and the new one doesn't require it. I simply moved companies.

I don't miss having it in the slightest.

MC Bodge

21,678 posts

176 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
pherlopolus said:
I left a Job requiring SC with 5 years left, new job didn't require it, lost clearance after 12 months.
Yes. That is correct.

SC not difficult to get if you have not got a dubious past.

DV is very thorough. They will find any skeletons in your closet and if they don;t, and do find it later, there'll be trouble.

blank

3,464 posts

189 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
pherlopolus said:
I left a Job requiring SC with 5 years left, new job didn't require it, lost clearance after 12 months.
Did you tell DBS that you'd moved?
Did you get a letter revoking your clearance?

I don't understand how they would know unless the security controller at your company had to tell them you had left?

I'm curious as I did DV a few years ago and have moved jobs a couple of times since (within the same company which might be important) but it has never been revoked as far as I know.

We have loads of people SC cleared who don't really need it and never "use" it.

MC Bodge

21,678 posts

176 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
blank said:
Did you tell DBS that you'd moved?
Did you get a letter revoking your clearance?

I don't understand how they would know unless the security controller at your company had to tell them you had left?

I'm curious as I did DV a few years ago and have moved jobs a couple of times since (within the same company which might be important) but it has never been revoked as far as I know.

We have loads of people SC cleared who don't really need it and never "use" it.
SC requires an approved employer. When you leave they will notify the relevant people.

Allanv

3,540 posts

187 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
I have NPPVL3 and that according to the Police is 5 years transferable. But extra checks after you leave to make sure you have not done anything, so a refresher which is fair.

This one was an 18 page interrogation which asked for family etc but they were never contacted nor were the cleared references I gave them. This took 5 weeks

EDBS I have protected this with the update service that checks for a small fee every year to make sure I have not done anything and again is transferable.

This was name, address, phone, NI number and something else and still took 5 bleeding weeks

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Original Poster:

39,984 posts

197 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
Has anybody ever known anybody to fail SC?

Allanv

3,540 posts

187 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
Countdown said:
Has anybody ever known anybody to fail SC?
Sorry no,

pherlopolus

2,088 posts

159 months

Friday 16th March 2018
quotequote all
Yes, and with restrictions applied also.

To be honest even telling anyone (without due cause) you have it is a bit of a no no.

K50 DEL

9,237 posts

229 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
I wish I could get SC...

As an IT contractor I see so many roles that require it, but have yet to see one that will allow you to take the contract then get the clearance...
Seems a complete catch 22 to me!

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Original Poster:

39,984 posts

197 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
pherlopolus said:
Yes, and with restrictions applied also.

To be honest even telling anyone (without due cause) you have it is a bit of a no no.
Do you know what the reasons were for failing?

Cheers

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Original Poster:

39,984 posts

197 months

Tuesday 20th March 2018
quotequote all
K50 DEL said:
I wish I could get SC...

As an IT contractor I see so many roles that require it, but have yet to see one that will allow you to take the contract then get the clearance...
Seems a complete catch 22 to me!
Do private companies ask for SC as well? I assumed it was only Govt-related roles...?