This blog is the lived experience of a charity working within the criminal justice system that was recently successful in getting a waiver from the Charity Commission for a Trustee applicant that was “disqualified” because of their criminal record. The blog has been written by the charity itself (including input from the charity’s chief executive

There are over 11 million people in this country with a criminal record. Many of them play a vital role in contributing to the work of charities. There are many charities, including those working with people in the criminal justice system, that are ‘user led’ or actively involve their beneficiaries at a senior level in

There are over 11 million people in this country with a criminal record. Many of them play a vital role in contributing to the work of charities. There are many charities, including those working with people in the criminal justice system, that are ‘user led’ or actively involve their beneficiaries at a senior level in

New rules that disqualify people from being senior managers or trustees of charities if they have committed certain offences, will come into force on 1 August. In an article published in Third Sector, Christopher Stacey comments on how Unlock, along with the criminal justice charities Clinks and the Prison Reform Trust, wrote to the Charity Commission in May

Update – 1st August 2018 – Changes to the rule come into force and we publish updates to the guidance mentioned below Unlock, a leading independent charity for people with convictions, has today published guidance to help charities, as well as those involved in them, understand and prepare for changes to charity rules and its

Changes to the ‘automatic disqualification’ rules that affect who can run a charity, and particularly people with criminal records, will come into force on 1st August 2018. The current rules only apply to trustees. People with unspent convictions for certain offences, including dishonesty and deception offences, need to be granted a waiver from the Charity

Later this year, the automatic disqualification rules will be extended to cover even more criminal convictions. The new laws will automatically disqualify people with a wide range of criminal convictions from being charity trustees or senior managers. Those affected will have to resign or apply to the Charity Commission for waivers. In this Third Sector

Today Civil Society has published a piece on the extensions to rules disqualifying trustees and senior managers as a result of criminal convictions. A Charity Commission spokesperson is quoted in the article, stating that: “these changes will have significant impact on some individuals and we have always been clear that charities and affected individuals must have enough

People with convictions play an important role in many charities, particularly those working in the criminal justice sector. Becoming a trustee or leading a charity as part of the senior management team are important roles that people with convictions should be encouraged to take on, and we know it can provide people with a positive

In 2017 we expect the new disqualification powers under the 2016 Charities Act to start. These powers allow the Charity Commission to disqualify people (i.e. prevent them) from holding senior management positions, or from being a trustee of a charity, if they have certain criminal convictions – and a new waiver application process. Unlock, Clinks

We have today published our response to the Charity Commission’s consultation on power to disqualify from acting as a trustee Background In May 2016, the Charity Commission launched a consultation on power to disqualify from acting as a trustee. Download: Submission: Unlock’s response to Charity Commission consultation on power to disqualify from acting as a trustee More

The Cabinet Office has published a timetable for implementation of the Charities Act 2016, which received Royal Assent on the 16th May 2016. The relevant section that impacts on people with criminal records will come into force on 1st April 2017. We’re working with the Charity Commission and there’ll be more news in the coming