What happens after you receive DISP membership?

TL;DR: Once approved for DISP membership, your organisation must maintain ongoing compliance, submit annual self-assessments, manage security clearances, and remain ready for audits—ensuring your security posture stays aligned with Defence expectations.

Getting DISP membership is a major achievement—but it’s not the end of the journey. As explained in How to Get DISP Membership Fast, DISP is an ongoing obligation, not a one-off milestone.

Once your membership is granted by the Defence Security and Vetting Service (DS&VS), you’ll be expected to operationalise your security commitments, monitor compliance continuously, and keep Defence informed of any material changes to your operations.

Post-approval responsibilities

1. Annual self-assessments
   You must submit a formal DISP security health check annually, confirming that your controls, staff vetting, and facilities are still in place and compliant.

2. Maintain security documentation
   Your security plan, risk register, incident response plan, and policies must remain current and reviewed regularly.

3. Manage personnel clearances
   Staff with baseline or higher-level clearances must be monitored for status, renewals, and role changes.

4. Report incidents and changes
   Notify DS&VS of any cyber incidents, personnel changes, or organisational restructuring that may impact your security posture.

5. Prepare for Defence audits
   DS&VS or Defence primes may audit your compliance with DISP controls—especially if you’re supporting sensitive projects.

6. Plan for DISP level upgrades (if needed)
   You may need to apply for a higher DISP level as your contract scope or Defence involvement grows.

Ongoing DISP compliance is about culture

It’s not just a checkbox—it’s a commitment to security maturity. Defence expects you to demonstrate consistent improvement and visibility across all four DISP domains.

Need help managing DISP compliance year-round?
Book a demo with 6clicks today to see how we automate annual assessments, track vetting, manage policies, and stay audit-ready.