Government departments and prime contractors engaged by them often wrongly insist on contractors having security clearance before they can bid for work on which it is required.

In July 2010 a Prime Ministerial Statement was published setting out a new national security vetting framework – the first such statement since 1994. This included more comprehensive guidance on personnel security and vetting policy than had previously been available.

As well as placing more information about the operation of the vetting system in the public domain and making the process more transparent, the new guidance states explicitly that no one should be expected to hold an existing security clearance to apply for a sensitive, apart from in exceptional circumstances.

In a letter to PCG the Cabinet Office said: “We hope that this clear articulation of vetting policy will assist our continuing efforts to address instances where individuals who do not hold an existing clearance are excluded from applying for certain vacancies (particularly sub-contracts”).

This followed the publication by the Cabinet Office in May 2007 of revised guidance which first emphasised that these requirements of prior security clearance are incorrect.
PCG worked closely with the Cabinet Office in developing this guidance.

If you apply for a role and your application is not progressed for reasons that you believe may relate to a lack of existing clearance, please direct the agency or prime contractor to the new guidance and ask for an explanation in line with the guidance. The letter accompanying the guidance makes it clear that they should be able to offer such an explanation.

If you do see a job advertised as requiring prior SC, please take a screenprint of it and mail it to  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

HMG Personnel Security Controls
The current guidance on the national secuirty vetting policy framework published July 2010

2007 Guidance
Cabinet Office guidance in full published May 2007