A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check in the UK can go back as far as possible into an individual's criminal record history. The police theoretically cover all information they have access to, potentially reaching back to a person's birth certificate, although records for very young children are unlikely due to the age of criminal responsibility being 10. The depth of the check depends on its type:

• Basic DBS checks show any unspent convictions or cautions, regardless of how old they are, but spent convictions do not appear.
• Standard and enhanced DBS checks reveal both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and warnings with no specific time limit, meaning they can include historic information relevant to the role being applied for.
• Enhanced checks can also include additional police information considered relevant to the job.

It is important to note that DBS checks only cover criminal records held in the UK, so any offences outside the UK will not appear. Typically, employers consider the last 5 to 7 years in background checks, but DBS checks themselves do not have a fixed cut-off date and are as comprehensive as possible within UK-held records.