[mpeg]

In finance/fintech and anything related, DBS checks are very common in the UK.

FWIW I've been checked by several employers throughout my career – and generally none of them warned me beforehand, I just got the letter from DBS letting me know they had

[ranko]

I'm pretty sure that they can't do it without your consent (and cooperation) - they at least have to verify your identity documents (name, address, DOB, etc), get a list of your addresses for the last five years, enter your driving license number, and probably other information too.

[comprev]

In NL the background check is very specific. If you've been convicted of drink-driving the record won't show up if the role is finance related due to the narrow scope.