Information for offenders and ex-offenders
If you're worried that a criminal record might make it harder for you to get a job or a place on a course, there are laws to prevent discrimination against offenders and ex-offenders.
According to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, criminal convictions and cautions can be ‘spent’ after a certain period, so you would not have to tell employers about them and it would be illegal for an employer to discriminate against you on the grounds of a spent conviction.
Some serious convictions are never spent and some kinds of employment (including work with children, old or sick people) are exempt from the Act and you would be expected to declare both spent and unspent convictions.
For certain types of job, employers (and voluntary organisations) can check with the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) which carries out criminal record checks through police records. For more information, visit the Directgov website.
If you want to work with money, in security or with the law, the CRB will issue a 'Standard Disclosure' and check records of convictions (spent or otherwise), cautions, reprimands and warnings held on the Police National Computer.
If a job involves contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults or for anyone applying for certain licences or for judicial appointments, the CRB will issue an 'Enhanced Disclosure' which will also check records held by the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) to check lists of people barred from working with these groups.
Further and higher education
You may be asked about your criminal record when applying for further education courses. For some courses (for example, childcare or elderly care) it's important to ask whether or not your criminal record is relevant before you enrol. Your college or Connexions Personal Adviser can help.
For most higher education courses it is unnecessary to declare minor offences or spent convictions. For certain courses (including those in teaching, social work and the health professions) you must declare all criminal convictions, including those that are spent. Check with UCAS or your chosen university to find out more.
Work-based learning
Unemployed ex-offenders may be eligible for early entry to government-funded training programmes such as New Deal. For more information, contact Jobcentre Plus or your Connexions Personal Adviser.
For further information
Nacro works with disadvantaged people, offenders and those at risk of offending, to help them find positive alternatives to crime. Nacro offers training for offenders and ex-offenders in basic skills and a wide range of vocational areas. Call the Nacro Helpline on 020 7840 6464.
Apex Charitable Trust seeks to help people with criminal records to obtain appropriate jobs or self-employment. The Apex Trust Helpline on 0870 608 4567 offers information and advice to offenders, ex-offenders, their families and employers.
The Longford Trust offers scholarships worth £5,000 per year to ex-prisoners to enable them to undertake higher education courses. Each scholar is assigned a mentor to offer practical and emotional advice. For more information, visit the Longford Trust website.