We use some essential cookies to make this website work.
We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.
We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.
You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.
You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.
Departments, agencies and public bodies
News stories, speeches, letters and notices
Detailed guidance, regulations and rules
Reports, analysis and official statistics
Consultations and strategy
Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports
A table of rehabilitation periods for the most common sentences and disposals, and example scenarios.
When to tell a potential employer, university, college or insurance company about a criminal record, when it becomes 'spent' and what shows up on a DBS check.
You might need to tell an organisation about your criminal record when…
The information you need to give about a conviction or caution depends on:…
Use this tool to check if a conviction or caution is still on your basic…
A caution is an official warning from the police. It could be a: simple…
A court might order you to pay: a fine compensation to someone…
A court might give you a conviction for a driving offence, for example…
A court might: give you a prison sentence if you’re 18 or over give you a…
A court might give you: community service (‘community order’) if you’re 18…
A discharge is a type of conviction where a court finds you guilty but…
A court might give you a military conviction if they find you guilty of a…
Under the disregards and pardons scheme, you can get a historic conviction for same-sex sexual activity removed.
The convictions you must declare when you apply for a new permit or to transfer a permit.
Statistics on historical same-sex sexual conviction disregards and pardons.
What happens if you're given a community sentence or community service. Find out about Community Payback and the rules of your community sentence.
Use these letters to get proof a partner has been convicted of domestic abuse against you, if you're applying for legal aid.
New measures in the Crime and Policing Bill will disregard and pardon unjust 'child prostitution' convictions and cautions received before the law changed in 2015.
A table of rehabilitation periods for the most common sentences and disposals applied to checks processed until 27 October 2023, and example scenarios.
Government seeking to restore trust and common sense to the benefits system.
Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.
To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab and requires JavaScript).