Minded to Bar Letter and DBS Appeal Solicitors
A DBS check outcome or minded to bar letter can stop your career in its tracks. Whether the information is wrong, disproportionate, or you simply haven’t had the chance to give your side of the story, our DBS appeal solicitors based in Manchester, Sale and Chester are here to help you fight back.
Contact Us
Talk to one of our team members on 0330 111 3131 or via our online enquiry form.
What is a ‘minded to bar’ letter?
A ‘minded to bar’ letter is issued when the DBS believes you may pose a risk and is considering adding you to the children’s barred list, the adults’ barred list, or both. Before making a final decision, the DBS gives you the opportunity to respond with written representations.
Failing to respond properly can result in being barred, which makes it a criminal offence to work in regulated roles and can have a serious, lasting impact on your career and livelihood.
What is a DBS appeal?
A DBS appeal is a formal challenge to a decision made by the Disclosure and Barring Service to place you on a barred list. Appeals are heard by the Administrative Appeals Chamber of the Upper Tribunal and can only be brought on specific grounds: that the DBS made an error of law, or an error of fact on which its decision to bar was based. You have three months from the date of the final decision letter to submit an appeal.
DBS services we offer
Responding to a minded to bar letter
When you receive a minded to bar letter, you have eight weeks to submit written representations to the DBS. Our solicitors will build a structured, evidence-based response on your behalf, covering your account of events, professional references, mitigating factors, and expert evidence where relevant, giving you the best possible chance of avoiding inclusion on a barred list.
DBS appeals
A DBS appeal is a formal challenge to a decision by the Disclosure and Barring Service to place you on a barred list, heard by the Administrative Appeals Chamber of the Upper Tribunal. Before a full appeal can be heard, you must first be granted permission to appeal, this is not automatic. Appeals can only be brought on two specific grounds: that the DBS made an error of law, or an error of fact on which its decision to bar was based.
If permission is granted, the case proceeds to a full appeal hearing. If permission is refused, you have the right to request a reconsideration at an oral hearing. You must submit your application within three months of the final decision letter, and the process is complex — our solicitors will assess the merits of your case, prepare and lodge the application within the deadline, and represent you at every stage of the tribunal process.
Requesting a DBS review
If the appeal window has passed, it may still be possible to ask the DBS to review its decision once a minimum period has elapsed: one year if you were under 18 when barred, five years if aged 18 to 24, and ten years if 25 or over. We can draft the representations needed to demonstrate that your circumstances have changed.
Disputing information on a DBS certificate
If information on your enhanced DBS certificate is inaccurate, irrelevant, or disproportionate, we can challenge it. This includes ‘Other Information’ added at police discretion, and in some cases we can make representations to the Chief Officer to prevent specific details from being disclosed before a check is completed.
Removing cautions and PNC entries
Entries on the Police National Computer, including arrests with no further action and historical cautions, feed directly into DBS checks. We can advise on seeking deletion or amendment of these records to prevent damaging information from appearing on future certificates.
Pre-check advice
If you know an enhanced DBS check is coming and there are matters on your record that concern you, speak to us before the process begins. Early advice is almost always more straightforward and more cost-effective than dealing with a problem after it has arisen.
How the DBS appeal process works
- Contact us straight away
Time is critical in DBS matters. You have eight weeks to respond to a minded to bar letter and three months to lodge an appeal. The sooner you get in touch, the more options are available to you.
- We review your case
We assess the information the DBS is relying on, identify any errors or weaknesses in their position, and give you an honest view of your prospects.
- We build your representations
We gather supporting evidence, including references, expert reports, mitigating documentation, and draft your written representations. In our experience, this is the stage where cases are won or lost, so we take the time to get it right.
- The DBS considers your case
The DBS reviews your representations alongside any other information held. This typically takes several weeks, though complex cases can take longer.
- We advise on next steps
If the outcome is not in your favour, we will advise immediately on whether an Upper Tribunal appeal or a review application is the right route forward.
Why choose Slater Heelis for your DBS appeal solicitors
Recognised regulatory law team
We won Criminal Law Team of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards in 2022 and were finalists again in 2023, 2024 and 2025. We’re also listed in The Times Best Law Firms for 2026, establishing us among the best criminal solicitors in Manchester and the wider North West. But the recognition that matters most comes from the clients we’ve defended, with over 1,800 reviews and an average rating of 4.9/5 on ReviewSolicitors, our clients trust us enough to recommend us when their freedom and reputation are on the line.
Experienced solicitors handling your case
Our regulatory team is led by Rachel Fletcher, Managing Partner and Head of Crime and Regulatory, who has extensive experience representing clients across the full range of DBS matters, from initial representations through to Upper Tribunal appeals. You will work directly with specialist solicitors who know this area of law inside out, and who understand what is at stake for your career and livelihood.
Based in the North West, acting nationally
We have offices in Manchester, Sale, and Chester, with the reach to support clients wherever they are based. Whether you need face-to-face advice or prefer to work remotely, we are set up to help you quickly, and speed matters when DBS deadlines are involved.
Private client service
Our DBS appeal work is carried out on a privately funded basis. That means we have the freedom to focus entirely on your case, advise you properly, and give you the time and attention your situation deserves from the outset.
A DBS decision or minded to bar letter can put everything you’ve worked for at risk, but you don’t have to face it alone. A DBS appeal solicitor can help you respond quickly and effectively.
Call us on 0330 111 3131 or contact us via our online enquiry form to speak with a member of our regulatory team.
We work with clients across the UK, and our offices in Manchester, Sale and Chester are open for face-to-face meetings. We will keep you informed at every stage, explain the process in plain English, and give you the straight-talking advice you need to make the right decisions.
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