Details of our latest advice for people with criminal records
As of 1st October 2019, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) will be reducing the cost of DBS checks. The new fees will be as follows: The cost of subscribing to the Update Service will continue to be £13 per year and an Adult First Check will also remain unchanged at £6. Standard and enhanced […]
Life without a bank account can be difficult, if not impossible. A bank account can offer so much more than just a place to store our money. From paying direct debits or utility bills, or receiving a salary or benefits, to simply identifying you as someone who exists, bank accounts are a huge part of […]
Think back to the last time you applied for a job. Did the application include a tick box question on criminal convictions? Last year Unlock published research showing that three quarters of national employers still ask about criminal records on application forms. This can be off-putting to applicants with convictions and we don’t think it’s […]
The DBS Update Service which was introduced in 2013 allows individuals to keep their standard or enhanced DBS certificates up-to-date by paying an annual subscription fee; currently £13 per year. This means you can effectively take your certificate with you when you move jobs or roles. An employer can then carry out free, online, instant […]
Anyone who has been convicted of a relevant sexual offence and received a prison sentence of 30 months or more will have to notify the police (often referred to as ‘signing the sex offenders’ register) indefinitely. However, since 2012 individuals who are subject to indefinite notification requirements have the opportunity to apply to the police for a […]
This month, we’ve written a further article for InsideTime ‘Through the Gate’ Section which focuses on the impact of a motoring conviction on your criminal record. A copy of the article can be found below. For anyone serving a prison sentence of less than 4 years your conviction will be spent (under the Rehabilitation of […]
Following the judgment by the Supreme Court on the current criminal records disclosure regime, we thought it would be useful to highlight the main points of the decision and to set out what is likely to happen next. What does the judgment say? The Supreme Court ruled that two aspects of the filtering regime – […]
At the end of 2018, the EU Commission confirmed that UK citizens will need approval via the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) to travel to the EU as a result of Brexit. It’s believed that EU citizens and UK nationals will continue to be able to travel freely with a passport or identity card […]
This month, we’ve written a further article for InsideTime ‘Through the Gate’ Section which focuses on setting up your own business following release from prison. A copy of the article can be found below. Many of us have thought about starting our own business at some point. However, not many people get around to trying […]
Although Unlock as a charity primarily focuses on people with convictions and cautions, a recent case about a rape acquittal is an important one for a lot of people that use our website that have other things on their police record. At the end of July 2018 a case was heard in the Supreme Court […]
Our outdated criminal records regime is holding hundreds of thousands of people back from participating fully in society.
Visit the #FairChecks website where you can write to your local MP, letting them know that a fair criminal records system is important to you.