The Police
Vetting Interview
Some applicants are asked to a vetting interview after their checks are done. It is the vetting unit's chance to clear up questions about your forms and your chance to explain. This guide takes you through it using the College of Policing's own guidance to interviewers: when they happen, how they start, what they cover, who can come with you and how to prepare without scripting.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 21 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
An exploratory vetting interview is a non-adversarial conversation, in person, by phone or by video, to clarify queries or concerns in your vetting information. The interviewer explains why you are there, goes through your forms and asks about the areas that need clarity, which can include your relationships, lifestyle, finances, any criminal matters and conflicts of interest. You must be completely honest; raising a concern does not necessarily mean refusal.
Mock vetting interview
Pick the areas that apply to you, then answer each question out loud or in the box. After each one, see what the interviewer is assessing and how to answer honestly. Nothing you type is saved or sent.
What a vetting interview is
The College of Policing's Vetting APP describes two types of interview in vetting: exploratory vetting interviews and withdrawal assessment interviews (8.5.6.a). Applicants meet the first kind. Withdrawal assessment interviews are for serving officers whose clearance is under review.
"Exploratory vetting interviews are conducted to enable the FVU to clarify queries, ambiguities or concerns in relation to any relevant vetting information and are not adversarial. Vetting applicants are expected to engage with these exploratory vetting interviews openly and transparently, to allow the FVU to identify and assess any risks and how these might be mitigated."
The same paragraph warns that failing to engage in that way "may lead the FVU to conclude that they cannot manage a risk" and so that clearance cannot be awarded. The interview is a chance to help them manage a risk, not a test you can pass by saying little.
When forces hold one
- After the checks. "If an exploratory vetting interview is required, forces should conduct it after the completion of all vetting checks" (Appendix L).
- Only where needed. "Not all applications require an exploratory vetting interview but should be considered where vetting information raises questions or doubts about particular issues, or additional clarity is required" (8.5.6.d).
- For non-disclosure. Where something relevant was not disclosed, the guidance says the applicant should be contacted first and an interview "may then be required" to find out whether there is a compelling explanation, such as an oversight rather than an intentional attempt to withhold (8.5.5.b).
- For finances. Where your declaration and the credit check do not match, or something needs clarifying, the guidance says an interview should take place (Appendix N 4.2).
- Sometimes twice. A second interview may be needed if information was missing or concerns are unresolved (Appendix L).
Forces say the same in plain words. Nottinghamshire Police: "Sometimes it is necessary to call the applicant to interview so that concerns may be discussed". Lancashire asks applicants to stay available "should a vetting interview be required".
Format, place and who can come with you
| Point | What the guidance says |
|---|---|
| Format | In person, or by phone or video call (8.5.6.e). Phone interviews are informal one-to-one conversations. |
| Recording | For a virtual interview the force may ask your consent to record and transcribe it (Appendix L). |
| Venue and adjustments | The force should consider a venue where you can speak freely, your accessibility needs and any reasonable adjustments. |
| Support | An external applicant may be accompanied by a friend or other person who is not police personnel. |
| Sensitive topics | Your supporter may be asked to step out briefly; you can ask them to leave at any time. |
| Choice of interviewer | If a matter is hard to discuss, the force should consider a different interviewer, for example one of the same sex and accommodate the request where possible. |
The guidance also says that where an applicant is known to be from an under-represented group, the force should take advice from its diversity and equality adviser and relevant staff associations before the interview, to identify any equality issues (Appendix L).
How the interview starts
Appendix L tells the interviewer, at the start, to:
- explain the vetting process;
- explain that this is an exploratory vetting interview and the reasons for it;
- explain the areas to be covered and why the enquiries are needed;
- explain the sensitive nature of some questions;
- ask for your consent to proceed.
"The vetting applicant should then be taken through the forms they have completed. They should be asked whether there are any inaccuracies they wish to correct or if there have been any change of circumstances since completing the forms." This is your moment to correct anything you got wrong. Use it.
What they ask about
Questions "must be on areas linked to the decision-making process" and interviewers should avoid "seeking unnecessary detail on irrelevant issues". The areas the guidance lists are:
| Area (Appendix L) | The kind of thing that may come up |
|---|---|
| Career to date | Jobs, gaps, why you left, satisfaction with employers |
| Relationships | Marriage or cohabitation, family, friends and associates, especially anyone with a record |
| Personal circumstances | Who lives with you, domestic arrangements |
| Lifestyle | Foreign travel and contacts, drug and alcohol use, hobbies, sports, study |
| Criminal activity | Arrests, cautions, convictions and the circumstances |
| Personal beliefs | For example political extremism |
| Conflicts of interest | Business interests, second jobs, relationships that could compromise you |
| Financial circumstances | Debts, judgments, repayment plans, income against outgoings |
Interviewers are told to take a flexible approach, to let you express your views and to offer a break if you become emotional. Questions about disability, religion or belief, race or other protected characteristics should only be asked if necessary and health issues should be referred to occupational health.
If your finances are the reason
Appendix N 4.2 lists areas that could be explored where your finances need clarifying:
- what the debts relate to and how any unmanageable debts arose;
- what steps you have taken to address your situation;
- whether regular repayments have been kept up over a number of months (IVA, debt management plan, direct agreement);
- how you feel about your financial management, monthly payments against monthly income;
- whether the new role will make your situation better or worse;
- how substantial the debts are in proportion to affordability;
- whether the debt was caused by compulsive behaviour, such as gambling;
- how you received any unexpected funds.
Bring statements, a simple monthly budget and any certificates. See debt rules by force.
If you left something off the form
This is one of the most common reasons for an interview. The guidance says the purpose is "to ascertain whether the vetting applicant can provide a compelling explanation for the non-disclosure. For example, an oversight due to misunderstanding what should be disclosed, as opposed to an intentional attempt to withhold information" (8.5.5.b). It adds that, wherever possible, you should be given time to reflect on and recall previous incidents.
So the honest, specific explanation is what helps: when you filled in the form, what you understood the question to mean, why the matter did not come to mind and the fact that you are now giving full details. Do not invent a better reason than the real one.
Honesty and what happens to what you say
"Interviewers must make clear to the vetting applicant that absolute honesty is required and that lying, concealing the truth or deliberately withholding information at any stage of the vetting process is a serious matter which may affect their application." The interviewer should also explain that providing information that may cause concerns "does not necessarily mean that their application will be declined. Each case will be considered on its own merits."
Confidentiality has a limit. Interviewers are told to emphasise that what you reveal is confidential, but "where there is any disclosure of criminal activity for other applicants, this will be referred to the appropriate investigating authority". And if you decline to discuss a relevant matter, the interviewer should tell you the force will have to take that into account, which "will likely lead to the clearance being declined".
After the interview
- Feedback. The interviewer should ask whether you are content with how it was conducted.
- Next steps. You should be given reasonable expectations of the next steps, including when to expect follow-up or a decision.
- Notes. Notes should be factual; where possible you should be asked to sign a copy and you may get a copy on request.
- Reasons. Since 13 July 2026, a police officer candidate who is refused must be given detailed written reasons and has a statutory appeal (Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025, regs 4F and 4G). Where the decision relied on what you said at interview, the APP says the rationale should indicate that.
How to prepare (without scripting)
- Re-read your forms. You will be taken through them. Note anything you need to correct.
- Get your records. Your ACRO record, your three credit reports and any certificates or court papers.
- Build a timeline. For each matter: what happened, when, the outcome, what you did and what has changed. Dates you are unsure of: say so.
- Think about the risk they are assessing. For a relative, it is pressure or leaks; for debt, vulnerability to inducement. Be ready to describe the facts that bear on that.
- Decide on support. Who, if anyone, you want with you.
- Do not rehearse a script. The guidance values openness; scripted answers read as the opposite.
The Vetting Prep Report (£19.99) includes, for each area you flag, the questions a vetting officer might reasonably ask and guidance on how to answer them honestly (what to cover and which records to check first), along with the documents to gather. It never writes a script and it does not predict a decision. The overview is free.
Why you might be called: common triggers
| What the vetting unit found or needs | What the interview is likely to explore | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| A matter on police systems that is not on your form | Why it was left off: oversight or intention | APP 8.5.5.b |
| Your declared finances do not match the credit check | What the debts are, how they arose, repayments and affordability | APP Appendix N 4.2 |
| A relative, partner or associate with a record | The relationship, contact, awareness, money and pressure | APP Appendix N 6.1 |
| An arrest or investigation with no further action | The circumstances, not just the outcome | APP 6.5.19.a |
| Online content | Context, when it was posted and what has changed | APP 6.5.7 |
| Time abroad or overseas contacts | Dates, reasons and links | APP Appendix L (lifestyle) |
| Gaps or inconsistencies in your address or work history | Where you were and why | APP Appendix L (career, circumstances) |
Practise the questions for your own areas in the free mock interview at the top of this page, or on its own page: mock vetting interview.
A worked preparation: a finance interview
An illustrative candidate (not a real case) declared two credit cards and a car loan. The credit check also showed a default from three years ago that they had forgotten. The vetting unit asks them in. A sensible preparation:
- Get the facts. Download all three credit reports and find the default: lender, amount, date and status.
- Find the paperwork. The settlement letter or the current payment plan and recent statements.
- Build a one-page timeline. When the debt arose, why, when it defaulted, what was done and the position now.
- Prepare the non-disclosure explanation. The honest reason it was not on the form, for example misreading which accounts the question covered.
- Prepare a monthly budget. Income against outgoings, including the new salary if appointed.
- Practise saying it. Out loud, in order, without minimising. Then stop and let them ask.
This maps directly onto the topics in Appendix N 4.2 and onto the non-disclosure test in 8.5.5.b, which is what the interviewer will be working from.
Your rights in the room
- To be told what the interview is for, the areas it will cover and why and to be asked for consent to go on (Appendix L).
- To bring a supporter who is not police personnel and to ask them to leave at any point (Appendix L).
- To ask for a different interviewer if a matter is hard to discuss, for example one of the same sex (Appendix L).
- To reasonable adjustments and an accessible venue (Appendix L).
- To a break if you need one (Appendix L).
- To ask for a copy of the notes and to be asked to sign them where possible (Appendix L).
- As a police officer candidate, to detailed written reasons and an appeal if refused (Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025, regs 4F and 4G).
Free quick check: 3 taps
How risky is my history for police vetting?
No typing, nothing saved. See what vetting looks at and what to prepare, from the College of Policing guidance.
What is in your history?
1 of 3Pick the main one. You can add more in the free builder.
Mistakes to avoid
| Avoid | Why |
|---|---|
| Giving a different account from your form | Inconsistency is an integrity concern in itself |
| Minimising or blaming others | It reads as a lack of openness, which the guidance weighs |
| Refusing to discuss a relevant matter | The guidance says this will likely lead to refusal |
| Guessing dates or facts | Say you are not sure and offer to check |
| Bringing a police employee as your supporter (as an external applicant) | The guidance says external applicants' supporters should not be police personnel |
| Not mentioning changes since the form | You will be asked; the 2026 rules also require you to report them promptly |
Serving officers
Exploratory interviews can also happen during the lifetime of a clearance (8.5.6.c) and forces may interview current and former supervisors (8.5.6.g). If information emerges that could lead to withdrawal, the interview must stop and be referred for a vetting severity assessment. Withdrawal assessment interviews for officers follow the Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025. See vetting withdrawal for serving officers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a police vetting interview?
An exploratory vetting interview is a conversation with the force vetting unit to clarify queries, ambiguities or concerns about your vetting information. The College of Policing's guidance says it is not adversarial and you are expected to engage openly and transparently so the unit can assess any risk and how it might be managed.
Does everyone have a police vetting interview?
No. The College's guidance says not all applications require one; it should be considered where vetting information raises questions or doubts, or more clarity is needed. Being asked to one is not a sign you will be refused.
What questions are asked in a police vetting interview?
The College's guidance lists areas that may be covered: your career, relationships, personal circumstances, lifestyle (such as foreign travel, drug and alcohol use and hobbies), criminal activity, personal beliefs, conflicts of interest and finances. Questions should focus on the areas linked to the decision.
Can I bring someone to my vetting interview?
Yes. The guidance says an external applicant may be accompanied by a friend or other person who is not police personnel. They may be asked to step out briefly while sensitive information is discussed and you can ask them to leave at any point.
Is a vetting interview done in person?
It can be in person, by phone or by video call. For a video interview the force may ask your consent to record and transcribe it.
Does the interview mean I have failed vetting?
No. The guidance tells interviewers to explain that providing information that may cause concern does not necessarily mean the application will be declined and that each case is considered on its own merits.
What if I do not want to discuss something?
The guidance says that if you decline to discuss a relevant matter, the interviewer should point out that the force will have to take this into account and that this will likely lead to clearance being declined.
Will what I say in a vetting interview be kept confidential?
Interviewers are told to emphasise that what you say is confidential, with an exception: where there is any disclosure of criminal activity, it will be referred to the appropriate investigating authority.
How do I prepare for a police vetting interview?
Re-read the forms you submitted, gather documents that support what you declared (credit reports, certificates, your ACRO record), work out accurate dates and be ready to explain each matter factually: what happened, when, what you did about it and what has changed. Do not script answers.
Will I get to see the interview notes?
The guidance says notes should be factual. Where possible you should be asked to sign a copy to confirm accuracy and you may be given a copy on request.
How long does a police vetting interview last?
No length is set in the College's guidance. It depends on how many points need clarifying; a second interview can be held if information was missing or concerns are unresolved.
Can a vetting interview be done by phone?
Yes. The guidance says interviews may be in person or by phone or video call and that informal exploratory interviews can be held by phone.
Will they ask about my health?
The guidance says any issues relating to your health should be referred to occupational health for assessment and that questions about protected characteristics should only be asked if necessary.
Can I prepare notes to bring with me?
Nothing in the guidance prevents it and dates and documents help accuracy. Use notes to check facts, not to read out a script.
Is there a free mock vetting interview?
Yes. Our free mock vetting interview gives practice questions by area, framed from the College's guidance, with what the interviewer is assessing and how to answer honestly.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 21 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- College of Policing: Vetting authorised professional practice (May 2025, PDF) : 8.5.5.b (non-disclosure: contact then possibly an interview to find out whether there is a compelling explanation); 8.5.6 (exploratory and withdrawal assessment interviews; not adversarial; discretionary; phone or video); Appendix L (preparation, support, rapport, honesty, opening, topics, declining to discuss, health and equality, conclusion, notes); Appendix N 4.2 (finance interview topics) (accessed 21 October 2026)
- The Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/502), latest revised text : regs 4F and 4G (reasons and appeal for candidates); withdrawal assessment interviews for serving officers (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Lancashire Constabulary: police vetting, what you need to know : a force asking applicants for their availability for a vetting interview (accessed 21 October 2026)
- Nottinghamshire Police: Vetting (careers FAQ) : "Sometimes it is necessary to call the applicant to interview so that concerns may be discussed" (accessed 21 October 2026)
- ACRO Criminal Records Office: Subject Access : your Police National Computer record, free (accessed 21 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or any police force and it does not recruit, vet or assess applicants. Recruitment standards, assessment formats and vetting decisions are set by the College of Policing and each force and change from time to time: check the force you are applying to before relying on anything here. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 21 October 2026.