SC disappeared - complete nightmare!

[psychocandy]

To clarify, started gig April 2017. They put me through SC - this was June 2017. Same gig until october 2021.
I've got a letter from june 2017 telling me I've got SC until 2027.

Started gig different government dept in november can't find anything. Even though I provided the letter.
They found me but all they had was an older SC from 2013.

This is where we are now.

Of course, they don't care now. I am chasing directly to see whats happened here.
Vetting officer at new place admits there have been problems with merging two systems a few years ago....

Seems nuts that they can't rush through an SC when they can see a letter. Its obvious surely something is missing from their system.
Its not a great advert for security of UK systems when they can't even work out if someone is cleared or not.

Gig was awful anyway so not too upset to be honest but I'd like to see where my SC has gone...

[David71]

They do? No way. I mean, really? You give some basic info that really isn't difficult to find and they will divulge whether you've got top secret clearance to the caller? Wow

Believe it or not, but yep.

Called them plenty of times over the years and had a good chat, normally about dates of clearnaces etc.

Got in a confusion a year or so ago as I had >1 clearance on the go at the same time so tried calling but they weren't answering the phone at the time; sent an email and got a nice little table emailed back two days later with all my info.

[psychocandy]

FFS it gets worse.....

Contacted UKSV even put in a complaint. All the central dept are saying is yes we got you're old clearance but nothing from 2017 on our database. Even though I've got a letter from BEIS the attitude is "not our problem speak to them".

Got hold of someone in BEIS at last - look I've got a letter - "Dunno what happened there can't find anything".

Its a joke. I've been accessing secure systems for the last 5 years and it looks like I may not have had a completed SC anyway. BUT no-one seems to care!
Surely this is a massive issue?

On a personal level, already lost one gig, got good chance for another one in the new year which, you guessed it, needs SC. You can see how that's going to go, can't you?
Hoping that someone will pull their finger out and find out its a clerical issue after all.

[SimonMac]

FFS it gets worse.....

Contacted UKSV even put in a complaint. All the central dept are saying is yes we got you're old clearance but nothing from 2017 on our database. Even though I've got a letter from BEIS the attitude is "not our problem speak to them".

Got hold of someone in BEIS at last - look I've got a letter - "Dunno what happened there can't find anything".

Its a joke. I've been accessing secure systems for the last 5 years and it looks like I may not have had a completed SC anyway. BUT no-one seems to care!
Surely this is a massive issue?

On a personal level, already lost one gig, got good chance for another one in the new year which, you guessed it, needs SC. You can see how that's going to go, can't you?
Hoping that someone will pull their finger out and find out its a clerical issue after all.

What are you hoping the outcome will be? UKSV as the single source of truth say you don't have clearance, how can BIES tell them otherwise? BIES won't be able to overrule UKSV and won't offer to put you though it again as you're contract with them has ended.

I am not sure how much clearer it can be put, you do not have SC so you cannot say you do when applying for roles that want SC

[northernladuk]

What are you hoping the outcome will be? UKSV as the single source of truth say you don't have clearance, how can BIES tell them otherwise? BIES won't be able to overrule UKSV and won't offer to put you though it again as you're contract with them has ended.

I am not sure how much clearer it can be put, you do not have SC so you cannot say you do when applying for roles that want SC

Unfortuantely this. BIES can't find it, UKSV can't find it so it's pretty clear it doesn't exist. To be fair I didn't see how there was going to be any other outcome from what you told us already. Your client checked and couldn't find it. It's not something they'll just re-instate cause someone has messed up. Nothing else to do here I am afraid.

[psychocandy]

Unfortuantely this. BIES can't find it, UKSV can't find it so it's pretty clear it doesn't exist. To be fair I didn't see how there was going to be any other outcome from what you told us already. Your client checked and couldn't find it. It's not something they'll just re-instate cause someone has messed up. Nothing else to do here I am afraid.

Maybe not. However, speaking to a nice lady at the last place, she says they made a huge mess of things a few years ago merging into one system and a lot of stuff got "lost". She said that recently she has had "asked" another government dept 7 times then they eventually found the clearance and reinstated it.

[psychocandy]

What are you hoping the outcome will be? UKSV as the single source of truth say you don't have clearance, how can BIES tell them otherwise? BIES won't be able to overrule UKSV and won't offer to put you though it again as you're contract with them has ended.

I am not sure how much clearer it can be put, you do not have SC so you cannot say you do when applying for roles that want SC

So if it was you you'd shrug your shoulders and say hey ho then? I doubt it.

[northernladuk]

Maybe not. However, speaking to a nice lady at the last place, she says they made a huge mess of things a few years ago merging into one system and a lot of stuff got "lost". She said that recently she has had "asked" another government dept 7 times then they eventually found the clearance and reinstated it.

Well even if they found it it's technically lapsed because it's not been used for a year. I find it very difficult to believe even if they found it they would apply it retrospectively. Just because you should have had it for that period you technically haven't. I don't think they are in the business of backdating access to sensitive information even if it's really not fair. It's a proper quandry this one.

[malvolio]

Well even if they found it it's technically lapsed because it's not been used for a year. I find it very difficult to believe even if they found it they would apply it retrospectively. Just because you should have had it for that period you technically haven't. I don't think they are in the business of backdating access to sensitive information even if it's really not fair. It's a proper quandry this one.

Not really. It's just one more poor job-seeking sod into the clutches of the dysfunctional world of security clearance. Of course, most people that have it in place tend to keep an eye on its status, especially when they are about to leave a role...

But as you say, his has gone and it's back to square one and harsh reality

[SimonMac]

So if it was you you'd shrug your shoulders and say hey ho then? I doubt it.

I can tell you I wouldn’t still be obsessing over it 10 days later.

Your best case scenario is either BIES “finds” your clearance, or they admit they let you access secure information without clearance which they will not want to do.

so you can’t investigate the first without running the risk of the second. BEIS will eventually stop replying to your emails (I’m surprised they haven’t already)