Criminal Convictions
Under The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate on the grounds of a spent criminal conviction, some jobs however will be exempt from this (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/53).
You must provide honest and accurate information when completing a disclosure form or responding to application questions relating to a criminal record.
Below are some links which provide further information and support:
- Clinks - Supports, promotes and represents the voluntary sector working with people in the criminal justice system and their families. Also includes a directory of organisations supporting people with convictions.
- Targetjobs - Do you need to disclose your criminal record to employers and how to go about it.
- How organisations can hire more ex-offenders
- NACRO - Nacro provides one-to-one advice, a helpline and online service, offering expert advice. It also offers training and a jobs section.
- Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) - Pact is a national charity that provides support to prisoners, people with convictions, and their families through a range of services. -
- Unlock – charity supporting people with a criminal conviction.
Links to specific pages are given below:
- Unlock has a disclosure calculator and offers support.
- Practical information and advice about job seeking.
- Advice on disclosing to employers.
- Clean Sheet - Clean Sheet helps people who have been in prison find work across the UK.
- Business in the Community (BITC): Ready to Work programme and advice - a network of businesses that aims to create a skilled and inclusive workforce. Its Ban the Box campaign calls on employers to remove the tick box from application forms, and in doing so to commit to fairly assessing criminal convictions.
- NACRO - Nacro provides one-to-one advice, a helpline and online service, offering expert advice. It also offers training and a jobs section.
- Step Together - Step Together provides one to one support to arrange volunteering to develop the skills, confidence and motivation to move on in life. They work in Manchester, London and Dorset.
- The Prison Funder Directory - Also known as the Hardman Directory. Lists funding for individual prisoners and ex-prisoners, e.g. for study.
- Unlock - charity supporting people with a criminal conviction. Links to specific pages are given below:
- Unlock has a disclosure calculator and offers support.
- Practical information and advice about job seeking.
- Advice on disclosing to employers.
- Working Chance - employment charity to support women with convictions to get into employment.