Unlock believes in an ear to the ground, voices at the top approach. We hear directly from people experiencing prejudice, stigma and discrimination because of their criminal record, and then we use our influence to enact change at the highest level.
The FairChecks movement
Run by unlock and Transform Justice, the FairChecks campaign aims to change the outdated criminal records system.
Find out moreLatest news & updates from our work to Change the System
View all news and updates
Unlock respond to the Ministry of Justice review of the prison system
Submitting evidence to the government's review, Unlock outline the importance of rehabilitation in the prison system
Communications Officer
Help deliver engaging and effective communications that raise awareness of the issues faced by people with criminal records
Paula Harriott’s statement on the weaponisation of Louise Haigh MP’s criminal record
Criticising Louise Haigh for a past mistake that she has long ago paid for risks setting a dangerous precedent
Government’s review of the Early Release Scheme must prioritise rehabilitation
This review presents an opportunity to prioritise rehabilitation in our criminal justice system and reassure the public of safeguards
Community Network Coordinator
Help build stronger communities and put lived experience at the heart of change
Case Studies of what we’ve achieved
Take a look at some key successes we’ve had over the years of fighting against prejudice, stigma and discrimination through our policy and campaigning work.
View all case studies- Abbie – How I challenged an enforced Subject Access Request (SAR) and kept my job
- Alan – Successfully making representation to be placed on a council’s housing register
- Anne – Should a criminal record prevent the award of a PhD?
- Benny – Success with the Scouts
- Brinley – “I successfully challenged an ineligible DBS check and kept my job”
- Our work with other organisations Challenging a Community Rehabilitation Company regarding the failings in their recruitment process
- Charlie – “I disclosed my conviction and still got a job”
- Case Work Clive – A potentially ineligible criminal record check led to the DBS considering barring me from working with children and vulnerable adults
- Support for individuals Dan – theInformationHub site made me realise how little I knew about criminal records
Our latest publications
We produce publications, often in collaboration with other key partners, to lead the way in demanding a fairer system
View all publications- September 2026 Unlock submission to the review of the prison system
- September 2026 Why Prisoner Voting Matters
- December 2025 The Right to be Forgotten
- February 2025 Briefing on the complexity of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974)
Projects & Campaigns
We run standalone projects and campaigns that focus on a particular issue around fairness of the system for people with criminal convictions
View all projects-
Ban the Box
A campaign to convince employers that they should only ask about someone’s criminal record if it’s absolutely necessary
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#FairChecks
A campaign to launch a major review of the legislation on the disclosure of criminal records.
11 million people have criminal records in the UK. We need your help to help them.
Your donation will help us provide a voice and support for people who are facing stigma and obstacles because of their criminal record – we appreciate every penny.
It’s quick and easy to donate online, please click the button below.
Further reading
Useful links to our more specialised work in Changing the System
We do a great deal of work to improve the system, and enforce laws where they are currently not being enforced.
