Monthly summary – August 2019

Welcome to our monthly update for August 2019.

This provides a summary of:

1. the latest updates to our self-help information site for people with convictions
2. recent posts to our online magazine, theRecord
3. discussions on our online forum
4. other news and developments that might be of interest to people with a criminal record.

Have you stumbled across this? You can receive these updates direct to your inbox every month for free by signing up to our mailing list (made sure you choose to receive ‘news for people with convictions’)

Updates to our information site

Here’s a summary of updates that we’ve made recently to the information hub. There are links within each update to where you can find more information about the update. There are also links next to many of the updates, which links to threads on our online forum where you can discuss these with other people with convictions.

About criminal records

• Extended sentences – We’ve produced some new information on extended sentences which sets out when they become spent and when you will need to disclose them to employers, insurers etc.
• Barring (Children’s Barred List and Adults’ Barred List) – We’ve updated this page to include a link to information produced by the DBS for individuals that have been referred to them. This includes details of why you may have been referred and the barring process.

Banking

• Opening a basic bank account and understanding the role of prepaid cards – We’ve published a new advice post on opening a basic bank account and the alternatives if you’re unable to open a basic bank account, possibly due to having a fraud conviction which flags up on the CIFAS database.
• Criminal convictions and a history of fraud – This page has been updated to include details of managed bank accounts and prepaid cards.

Insurance

• List of insurance brokers – We’ve added a new broker to our list of insurance brokers that can provide motoring, home and contents insurance to people with convictions.
• Commercial insurance – We’ve added a new broker to our list of commercial insurers who can provide public liability and professional indemnity insurance to people with convictions.

theRecord posts

Below are links to recent posts to our online magazine, theRecord. These are often linked to from the practical information that we have, to help give some personal experiences.

Success – Google you know my name but don’t judge me when you don’t know my story – “25 years ago I received a conviction which resulted in a 3 line article in a local newspaper. The conviction resulted in a community order which I completed as soon as I could and since then, I’ve worked hard and done well career wise …..”

Success – It took prison to help get my gambling addiction under control – “For the last 8 years of my life I have suffered with a serious gambling addiction. It started when I was just 19 and at university. I was so excited to be going to university and for me it was the start of a new chapter in my life, the start of an exciting future – to study sport and exercise science and become a teacher …..”

Struggles and stigma – ‘Employers, if you want me to disclose my conviction, then please ask me the question’ – “I’ve been out of prison for 18 months and still have another 2.5 years to go on licence. In the past 18 months I’ve applied for over 700 jobs, getting to interview stage on only 6 of the applications, only to be rejected when I disclose my conviction …..”

Discussions on our online forum

Below are links to recent posts to our online forum. If you’d like to join in the discussion but are not currently a forum member, find out how you can join here.

Spent convictions available to view on Google – Marsbar88 has highlighted the problems he’s encountered as a result of his spent conviction still appearing online. Does anybody have any advice on how he can have the links to his name removed or what he can do to counteract the negative stories?

‘Alternative date of birth’ and other post-conviction weirdness – Harmless is seeking some advice regarding property seized by the police prior to his arrest and the incorrect recording of his date of birth. Can anyone help him?

Other news and developments

Below are links to other news and developments that might be of interest to people with a criminal record. For more news, check out the news and media section of our main website.

Insurance industry trade body issues updated guidance to insurers on how they should treat people with convictions

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) have published updated guidance on how insurers should treat people with convictions. Read our comments and download the guidance here.