New Law: The Police, Crime, Sentencing And Courts Act 2022

• Published date: 13 November 2023
• Law Firm: Michelmores
• Author: Dan O'Sullivan

As of 28 October 2023, nearly 125,000 people sentenced in 2022 immediately benefitted from the changes arising from the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.

Under the previous law, some offenders were required to disclose criminal convictions to their employer or prospective employer for the rest of their lives, in accordance with the relevant 'rehabilitation period', which created a significant barrier to obtaining employment. Now, this position has changed, except for those offenders who have committed serious sexual, violent, or terrorist offences, who are excluded from these changes (a step which was felt necessary to avoid an increased risk to the public). The changes do not directly affect, for example, teaching applicants, as the stricter disclosure rules applicable to jobs working with vulnerable people continue through standard and enhanced DBS checks. We previously shared our insight on this related topic 'Is an applicant required to...