Trade body the Recruitment and Employment Confederation has condemned plans for another rise in the cost of criminal record checks.

Marcia Roberts, deputy chief executive of the REC, said the rise was “unacceptable” and meant the Criminal Records Bureau, which carries out the checks, would be doing “less work for more money”.

Under the proposals, the cost of a standard disclosure will rise £4 next April – a 133% rise in the cost of a standard disclosure check since June 2003, when the cost rose from £12 to £29 – for an enhanced check against police records it rose to £29.

Ministers also want ‘registered bodies’ such as hospitals and schools to do more of the initial work and pay an annual £300 fee.