CTC clearance timescales

[ajheywood]

Hi all,

I just wondered if anyone had any recent experience of the time it takes for CTC clearance to come through?

I've accepted a role for the police which requires this level of clearance before I can start and the agent has indicated it could take 3-4 weeks.

I'm currently on the bench so not invoicing and I've been contacted by a previous client who would like me to do a short 3-4 week contract for them.

I'm thinking I take them both and try to make the timescales fit together, I've read on websites and seen some posts here suggesting CTC clearance can take months so I don't want to be benched for that long if I can help it.

Advice please.

[jjdarg]

It depends on the organisation, really.

I have heard that it does take that long with the Police. I knew someone for whom it took more than two months from being offered the role to actually sitting at his desk, and apparently this was down to internal processes.

[PurpleGorilla]

Have you had clearance before?

CTC and SC are similar in depth of check but they are for different intended purposes.

3-4 weeks sounds right to me if you have been checked before.

If not perhaps a little longer.

[ajheywood]

No I haven't had clearance before, I was in a role last year that started to put me through the SC clearance but I didn't stay long enough to get clearance (the role was not as agent described).

[seanraaron]

I've been SC cleared before and it took a couple of months - longer to get it transferred between organisations as well.

[Boney M]

I would deffo take the short term gig and then if extended on a weeks notice basis. I dont see t taking 3/4 weeks, I see it taking double that

[stek]

My last (and still current) SC took 11 months......

[northernladuk]

My last (and still current) SC took 11 months......

It's quicker for anyone not from Bolton AFAIK

[SueEllen]

It's quicker for anyone not from Bolton AFAIK

Nah it's cos he's Russian*

It takes 3/4 weeks if your background means you haven't moved around a lot, you are from mainland UK, your parents are from mainland UK, your partner is from mainland UK, you have worked in mainland UK, you have no criminal record including driving convictions, no credit issues and any referees you use return the reference within 5 days. Oh and the person doing the check only has to do a few of them.


*I know he isn't.

[PurpleGorilla]

My last (and still current) SC took 11 months......

Was that when it went online?