What you need to know, in brief.
- There are 3 main levels of criminal record check and which one is done by the employer depends on the job role.
- If you need to disclose your criminal record, we suggest that you disclose face-to-face, this tends to be most effective. Find more useful info in our guide to looking for employment with a criminal record.
- Make sure you know what level of check an employer is doing and only disclose what you legally need to.
- Many organisations actively employ people with convictions, if you’re struggling to find employment then our list of friendly employers can be a good place to start looking.
- Many people with a criminal record choose self-employment to avoid prejudice from employers.
- If you’re struggling to find employment, volunteering can be a great way to build your confidence and experience
Information & Advice articles
Are there any employers who have particularly positive or negative policies towards people with a criminal record.
What are my rights when looking for or during employment?
Irrespective of whether you have a criminal record, you still have the same general employment rights as anybody else.
Are employers allowed to carry out criminal record checks?
Employers are allowed to do criminal record checks before they employ you (or at regular intervals during your employment). Under the General Data Protection Regulations they must have a lawful basis for carrying out a check and processing criminal record data. The type of check they can do will depend on the job you are applying for.
- GDPR and data protection – Guidance for individuals
- Types of criminal record checks
- Eligibility for standard and enhanced checks
- A-Z of job roles and their eligibility for basic, standard and enhanced criminal record checks
- Establishing what level of check an employer can carry out
- Challenging an ineligible DBS check
What types of criminal record checks can an employer do?
There are three main types of check – basic, standard and enhanced. However, if you are working overseas or require government security vetting, other types of checks may be carried out.
What will appear on my criminal record check?
A basic DBS certificate will only show unspent convictions. All cautions and convictions will appear on a standard and enhanced certificate unless they are eligible for filtering. An enhanced DBS may also disclose any additional information held locally by the police.
- What will be disclosed on a basic DBS check?
- Which cautions and convictions will be removed from a standard or enhanced DBS? – A brief guide
- Criminal records that don’t show (stay) on standard and enhanced DBS checks (filtering and protected cautions and convictions)
- Disclosure of police intelligence on enhanced checks (approved information)
Do I need to tell an employer about my criminal record?
You only need to disclose your criminal record if you’re asked.
Personal Stories
Hear directly from people with convictions about their experiences living as a law-abiding person with criminal convictions
Latest news, advice, stories & more from Unlock
View all news and updates
Unlock responds to Committee Stage of the Employment Rights Bill
Read the latest on the bill's progress and our response
New research highlights discrimination against people with criminal records in labour market
Dr Marti Rovira explains his findings
New vacancy: Unlock training placement
We're looking for someone with a criminal record who wants to gain experience and help us change the system
Call for evidence: recruitment agencies and criminal records
Tell us about your experiences of finding work through a recruitment agency with a criminal record
Unlock responds to consultation on accredited registers carrying out criminal record checks
Professional Standard Authority consultation
Do you need help & support with an issue you’re facing?
We provide support and advice for people who need guidance with either their own, or someone else’s, criminal record.
Please use the search box to start typing your issue. If you cannot find an answer to your problem then you’ll be given options to contact us directly
Popular advice
- Travelling to the US – Will I get a visa?
- Travelling to the UK
- Disclosing unspent convictions to existing insurers
- Overview of the DBS
- Information: Relationships, children and dealing with social services
- Becoming a childminder
- Information contained on UK passports
- What will be disclosed on a basic DBS check?
Find out what we’re doing around Employment, Business & Volunteering to Change the System for the better
- Find out about our Ban the Box campaign – convincing business to not ask the question
- Find out about our #FairChecks campaign – pushing MPs to change the law
- Enabling people with convictions to become trustees and run charities
- Scrapping the Disqualification by Association regulations
- Supporting and challenging employers in how they treat people with convictions
- Improving support for individuals with a criminal record to secure meaningful employment
There’s a talent pool of over 11 million people that you might be overlooking
People with criminal records make good employees. Make sure you’re not missing out. We support UK employers to recruit people with convictions and help them to deal with criminal records fairly.
