Changes to Criminal Records Disclosures

The Government laid a Statutory Instrument before Parliament today to amend the criminal records disclosure rules.

The amendments concern the information that is automatically disclosed through the standard and enhanced criminal records certificates issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

The changes remove the automatic disclosure of youth cautions, reprimands and warnings. The 'multiple conviction' rule, which requires the automatic disclosure of all convictions where a person has more than one conviction, regardless of the nature of their offence or sentence, will also be removed.

This reform builds on the Government's stated commitment to increase employment for ex-offenders and seeks to strike the balance between the needs of protecting people, especially the most vulnerable and children, while ensuring those who have reformed after committing offences are not disproportionately hindered by previous wrongdoing.

Convictions and adult cautions for offences specified on a list of serious offences, which received a custodial sentence, are recent or unspent, will continue to be disclosed.

The Statutory Instrument will be debated in both the Commons and Lords later this year before the changes come into effect.