CS security check - how screwed am I?

[Imposter1212]

So basically I have 2 job offers for the civil service. Both HEO level and both require the security check clearance level.

I have no criminal convictions but finances are not as clean.

In 2019/early 2020 I got into a mess. I was a student and fell behind on repayments on various things. In total I have 9 defaults and 1 CCJ
All debts in my sole name. All accounts are now on a repayment plan and there have been no missed payments since match 2020. The CCJ account is now fully paid off but obviously still shows on my file as its less than 6 years old. I have a letter from the company declaring it paid off and balance is none.

My credit score is 585. I am married and my husbands is 705.

I will obviously tick the box that I've experienced financial hardship and explain what happened and that there's been no missed payments for over 3 years and I plan to increase the repayment amounts on all accounts once I'm earning.

But am I screwed? I know they are risk adverse when it comes to security checks. I don't know whether to decline both offers and look for roles which require less clearance so I don't waste anyone's time.

Can you not just ask the HR contact dealing with your application? It would be a bit premature to withdraw your application when you have sorted the financial situation now and everything is on a repayment plan.

I’m not an expert on this, but I would have thought you’d be fine if there was evidence that you were through the difficult patch now.

I understand the reason for checking your finances is to ensure you’re not vulnerable to potential corruption (taking a bribe or similar)

As long as you are honest and finances are now affordable that will not affect security check. It's more of an honest and could you be bribed test.

As pp said, I thought the checks were to make sure you're not blackmailable or bribable. I think you'll be fine

It'll be fine it's about blackmail and bribery

It is more to see if you have massive gambling debts or similar whereby someone could potentially bribe you to supply info

The checks are to see if there is anything that might make you open to bribery etc. as long as you are honest you should be fine. Some criminal convictions are not a problem depending on the role and level of clearance. Many people work in the CS have experienced financial hardship. You wouldn't be the only one.

Also helps to weed out any pesky poor people applying for jobs and getting off unreliable benefits, I guess.

I've noticed that when you hear of the successful fraud and corruption prosecutions, it's never somebody who is in a precarious financial situation like a skint disabled woman in her 50s or a bloke who's a single parent to a disabled child faced with eviction, it's always somebody with at least house, car, holidays, clothes to start with. And from personal experience, too, it's the people who already had more who do it.

As others have said: key thing is not to conceal anything. They do also look for evidence of current issues that might leave you open to eg blackmail or bribery. That might include evidence of a gambling addiction for example - lots of payments to Ladbrokes on your bank statement or online bookies. But something in your past that you dealt with and are open about should not in itself be a deal breaker. Be up for answering questions about it and for the application to take longer for SC in any case.

Does anyone know is sc level checks ask questions about partners finances too?

If you're honest about it then you'll be fine. A colleague of mine got a higher level of security clearance which involved an interview, he had a similar financial history.
As a PP said, you've nothing that could risk you being blackmailed, you'll be fine

SC if you're married yes

You're over thinking. It's being or has been paid off, but the footprint is still there - as long as it's under control, that's the only thing they really care about.

They can ask for a follow up check on your finances (you'd have to fill out a more detailed form).

I wouldn't worry too much about it for now.

That’s because they are more likely to prosecute those cases where there are assets as they can then use Proceeds of Crime Act to retrieve the assets. It makes more financial sense and is more in the public interest to punish greed based crime over need based crime. Then you have departmental reputation- doesn’t look great to crack down hard on a family with disabilities.

It says " checks may extend to 3rd parties named on the application". So it's not a given, it'll depend on the requirements of the sponsoring agency.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels#security-check-sc

My finances are fucked and i didn't even know companies looked at them. But I got a job with CS twice when in this mess and no one asked me anything about it, I didn't even worry that they might as didn't know it was a thing but that was 5 years ago so maybe it's changed.

So I thought I'd come back and update this.

My clearance has been approved. I was completely honest on the form. Sent screenshots over of all the payment plans and explained what steps I had taken to ensure that I didn't end up in the same position. Shared my plan of clearing the debts and was realistic about how quickly they would be cleared.

For anyone wondering about timescales: I completed the forms on 27th Feb. System went to check completed on Friday night (22nd March) and email arrived today (26th March) confirming the required level had been awarded.

Due to start 1st May.

That's a great update. Well done!

Great news! Hope you enjoy the job. Once you're in, you can move around quite easily too, between different departments.

And good luck!

Hi there i know this thread is a little bit dated now but im in a similae situation

I have loads of defaults and accessed my credit file to which only so many of my debts were still live. The rest closed as sent to collections. However im paying this with a debt management plan so everything is included. I dont keep records of stuff (stupidly) so dont have exact numbers of defaults, refused credit applications etc so had to state so in my application but explained i didnt know or have the information to answer accurately but i was honest about it and everything else.

Im ashamed of my finances as it was down to sheer stupidity and immaturity as well as a few blips in mental health.
This is under control now and finances are well managed under my dmp.
Ive never filled anything out like this before and the whole thing has stressed me out big time.
My sponsor said not to worry as they will possible ask for more info but i have been honest despite my finances looking bad but im in a good place with it all now and they are being managed.
I dont have any addiction issues to have caused money issues. Its all stupid debts that just mounted up over the years. But now under control and the new job would put me in a better position due to higher salary which i stated.
Did anyone else feel this stressed about this? Its awful.
Im in a position of trust already and have been for a long time and havent been bribed and conditioned.my current job doesnt require the same level of clearance although considering the nature of my job we should.

Aggghh resigned myself to the fact il be stuck in my awful job forever