Disclosure Scotland application statistics: FOI release

Information requested

1. How many disclosure applications were there between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025?

2. How many applications have there been since 1 April 2025 and 1 October 2025?

3. Can you please provide a breakdown per month of how many applications were processed outside the 14 day time period.

Response

1. How many disclosure applications were there between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025?
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information you have requested because an exemption under section 27 (1) future publication of FOISA applies to that information. It is our intention to publish this information on our website About Disclosure Scotland - Disclosure Scotland in the next 12 weeks.

This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. While it is recognised that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, we consider that there is a greater public interest in following our intended release schedule such that our statistical reports can be properly reviewed and checked for accuracy.

2. How many applications have there been since 1 April 2025 and 1 October 2025?
The information you have requested is already available. Figures from April 2025 to September 2025 can be found on the Disclosure Scotland website Our performance - Disclosure Scotland Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

3. Can you please provide a breakdown per month of how many applications were processed outside the 14 day time period.

Number of applications completed per month out with the 14-day service level agreement (SLA) period, by application type, from April 2024 to March 2025

Time period application is completed within	Basic disclosure	Standard disclosure	Enhanced disclosure	PVG Scheme Record	PVG Scheme Record Update	PVG Statement of Scheme Membership	All applications
April 2024	71	137	69	623	740	0	1,640
May 2024	105	75	38	492	594	1	1,305
June 2024	280	122	91	357	440	0	1,290
July 2024	466	139	127	315	216	0	1,263
August 2024	105	91	76	558	491	2	1,323
September 2024	32	39	15	120	67	13	286
October 2024	73	155	73	592	595	21	1,509
November 2024	74	53	35	324	361	13	860
December 2024	24	37	14	85	96	4	260
January 2025	111	184	70	619	665	22	1,671
February 2025	62	16	11	134	72	9	304
March 2025	96	23	14	72	51	6	262

Following the implementation of the Disclosure Scotland Act on 1 April 2025, Disclosure Scotland has seen a 35% increase in applications compared to the previous year.

Between June and August 2025, processing times were longer due to the surge in volumes. However, during August processing times started to fall, and we returned to our normal performance range by September, with 95.7% of applications processed within 14 days and an average processing time of 7.4 days.

As of last week (week commencing 24/11/2025), Disclosure Scotland’s weekly SLA stood at 96.56% of applications completed within 14 days, and average processing times continued to improve, reaching 4.6 days.

Number of applications completed per month out with the 14-day service level agreement (SLA) period, by application type, from April 2025 to September 2025

Number of applications completed per month out with the 14-day service level agreement (SLA) period, by application type, from April 2025 to September 2025	Level 1 disclosure	Level 2 disclosure	Level 2 with barred list check	PVG scheme disclosure (Join)	PVG scheme disclosure (Existing)	Confirmation of PVG scheme membership (Join)	Confirmation of PVG scheme membership (Existing)	All applications
April 2025	68	181	72	239	134	32	43	769
May 2025	451	704	34	1,340	621	118	125	3,393
June 2025	1,066	670	97	4,358	2,176	275	128	8,770
July 2025	578	1,050	71	12,466	6,405	1,091	222	21,883
August 2025	823	668	73	7,588	4,247	380	130	13,909
September 2025	70	245	22	2,050	159	124	7	2,677

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