Monthly update – November 2020

We’ve just published our update for November 2020. This months update includes: New guidance explaining the rules on what is disclosed on (and removed from) standard and enhanced criminal record checks following changes to the filtering rules which came into effect on 28 November 2020. A personal story from Roger describing his experience of volunteering

Monthly update – October 2020

We’ve just published our update for October 2020. This months update includes: New information about the EU Settlement Scheme for applicants with a criminal record. An advice post on travelling to the EU after 1 January 2021. A personal story from James setting out his experiences of applying to university with a criminal record. A

Monthly update – September 2020

We’ve just published our update for September 2020. This months update includes: An update to our A-Z of job roles and their eligibility for basic, standard and enhanced criminal record checks. A personal story from an individual who has been accepted onto a university course to study digital forensics following a conviction for assault. A

Some examples of people we’ve helped

Looking back over the last couple of months, we’ve written up a few examples of the people we’ve helped. We hope they give a good idea of how we help people. However, more importantly than our role, we think that these examples show how people with convictions are able to overcome some of the barriers

Case study – Zara – People with a criminal record don’t always remember the details of their conviction: self-disclosure almost cost me my job

Zara contacted our helpline seeking advice following her dismissal from work due to the non-disclosure of information on her DBS certificate. Zara explained that she’d been working at a children’s nursery and was still in her probationary period when she was dismissed. She confirmed that at every stage of the application process she had been

Case study – Ian – Unlock provided me with information and advice and introduced me to another new business start up

Ian initially contacted our helpline for some advice in 2019 after the solicitors he had worked for, for 25 years suspended him when his conviction from 1988 came to light. In order to ensure that they were fully compliant with the Solicitors Regulation Authority, Ian’s employers decided to carry out retrospective background checks on all

Case study – Bernie – The help I received from Unlock enabled me to work again

Bernie contacted our helpline seeking advice around employment and insurance. He explained that in 2019 he had been convicted of assault and received a 12-month suspended sentence. He went on to say that prior to his conviction, he had been a driving instructor and, although the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) had not removed his

Case study – Ulrik – Applying for a degree in medicine doesn’t mean universities are exempt from disclosure laws

Ulrik contacted our helpline for some advice following an application he’d made to study medicine at university. He explained to our helpline advisor that when he’d applied to the university he’d been asked to declare any spent or unspent cautions or convictions that would show on a criminal record check. Ulrik ticked the “Yes” box

Monthly update – August 2020

We’ve just published our update for August 2020. This months update includes: New information to address some of the issues people face in telling a partner, family member or friend about their criminal record. A personal story from an individual who, as a victim of domestic violence, received a conviction but, has gone on to

Some examples of people we’ve helped

Looking back over the last couple of months, we’ve written up a few examples of the people we’ve helped. We hope they give a good idea of how we help people. However, more importantly than our role, we think that these examples show how people with convictions are able to overcome some of the barriers

Case study – Sean – My employer tried to adhere to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) but this just caused more confusion

Sean contacted our helpline for some advice in answering a vetting form which he’d been given by a potential employer. Sean explained that he’d been working for the company as a contractor but was in the process of transferring to being a permanent member of staff. He’d been asked to complete a vetting form which

Case study – Mehmet – Unlock helped me take the steps necessary to achieve my ultimate goal

Mehmet contacted our helpline following an application he’d made for a volunteering role with a well-known charity. Mehmet explained that having recently been accepted by the charity as a volunteer he’d just been told that he would need to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check prior to starting his training. He was concerned