Details of the latest updates that we’ve made to the information on this site
Our helpline is regularly contacted by individuals who’ve lost their job after their employer found out about their criminal record. This can be extremely distressing, especially if the conviction is spent (under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974) and, due to the type of job they applied for, didn’t need to be disclosed. If this […]
The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 came into force in England on the 3rd April this year. This is the biggest change to the rights of homeless people in England for 15 years. We’ve produced some new information which sets out how the Act will work in practice. The new law puts an obligation on prisons, youth […]
As the deadline approaches for the UK to leave the EU, the government has introduced a compulsory scheme for all EU citizens living in the UK who wish to remain in the UK – referred to as the EU Settlement Scheme. It is expected that 3 million people will apply for ‘settled status’. If your […]
With effect from the 31st August 2018, changes are being made to the childcare disqualification arrangements, specifically removing the ‘disqualification by association’ element from schools and other non-domestic settings. It will however remain in place for roles such as home-based childminding. We’ve updated our page Childcare Disqualification Requirements – Primary school teachers, nursery staff and […]
Everybody has the right under the Data Protection Act 2018 to make a request to any organisation, for a copy of the information that organisation holds about them. This is called a subject access request (SAR). There are many reasons why you may want to apply for a SAR, and we’ve produced some new information on […]
Receiving a conviction overseas can cause additional complications for individuals be they UK citizens or foreign nationals. Sentences given in one country may be treated differently in another and it can be difficult to find organisations that can offer relevant help. We’ve just updated our important links and organisations page to provide the details of a […]
Whenever you’re asked to disclose your criminal record to either an employer or university then discussing the details with them face-to-face is likely to be the most effective way. However, there are a number of reasons why a self-disclosure statement can be a useful way of planning what you’re going to say and also, to […]
From early January 2018, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) started carrying out basic criminal record checks. Following an application made by a member of the Unlock team, we’ve produced a new step-by-step guide to applying directly to the DBS for a basic check using their online self-service channel. We’re interested in hearing from anybody […]
As part of our ‘seven stages of a criminal record’ (which we launched recently) we’ve put together an overview of the areas of life that can be affected by a criminal record. Whether you’re looking for work, applying to university or purchasing insurance, this table will hopefully help you to determine what you will or won’t […]
We’re constantly looking at ways to improve the site and, based on feedback we’ve had from users of the site, and the calls we get to our helpline, we think that our subject-led approach means that some people may be unaware of some important issues that may affect them. People will often contact us simply […]
Thanks for joining the 333,000 people who've used this site in the last three months alone - we hope you find what you're looking for.
As an independent charity, we rely on your donations to run and maintain this site.
Please help us to keep it going by making a donation now.