PVG scheme becomes a legal requirement for those working with vulnerable adults in Scotland
Mobility retailers, engineers and assessors who need to go into the homes of vulnerable adults in Scotland now have less than four months to make the changes needed to prepare for the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme becoming a legal requirement from 1 April 2025.
From 1 April 2025, it will be a legal requirement for individuals to be a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme when carrying out a regulated role with children, protected adults, or both.
Organisations must ensure that individuals who are to carry out a regulated role (paid or voluntary) have PVG scheme membership from 1 April 2025 onwards.
From 1 April 2025, ‘regulated work’ will be replaced by ‘regulated roles’. It is expected that roles which are currently included under regulated work, will also be regulated roles. However, the introduction of ‘regulated roles’ will bring new roles into the PVG scheme that are currently not regulated work.
To help retailers assess the criteria for regulated roles, contact Disclosure Scotland’s Customer Engagement Team at DisclosureAct@disclosurescotland.gov.scot for advice to establish if your role(s) are regulated. If you work in a regulated role, you must become a member of the PVG scheme.
There will be a short grace period of three months after the PVG scheme becomes a legal requirement. This will ensure individuals and organisations don’t immediately commit an offence if there are individuals who are not yet PVG scheme members but are currently working for in regulated roles.
Individuals and organisations will not commit an offence if an individual who is carrying out a regulated role for them has, before the 1 July 2025, made an application to join the PVG Scheme, even if Disclosure Scotland has not issued the result.
