In a significant shift aimed at giving young people a second chance, the UK government has unveiled proposals that would allow some job applicants in England and Wales to leave their childhood criminal convictions behind when applying for work.
Ending Lifetime Disclosure for Minor Offences
Under the new plans, criminal records for offences committed by individuals under 18 would no longer automatically appear on background checks throughout their lives, provided they have not reoffended as adults. The Ministry of Justice has also launched a consultation on relaxing disclosure rules for certain drug-related and violent crimes committed by minors, recognising that young people often act under peer pressure or impulsivity.
Currently, many employers require applicants to undergo background checks, which can range from self-declaration to enhanced checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). How long a conviction remains visible depends on factors such as the severity of the offence and the sentence received. For example, a young person fined for an offence as a minor would have it disclosed for five and a half years, while a custodial sentence could lead to lifelong disclosure.
Specific Offences to Be Removed from Lifetime Checks
The government intends to remove five offences from the list that triggers lifelong background disclosure if committed by an adult. These are: affray, violent disorder, supplying a controlled drug to a child, robbery, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. According to Ministry of Justice data, around 8,500 under-18s were convicted of these offences between March 2022 and March 2026. The government argues that such crimes often stem from exploitation or adolescent impulsivity rather than a lifelong propensity for crime.
Under the proposed rules, these offences would no longer appear in checks after five and a half years. Additionally, lifelong disclosure would be scrapped for offences that resulted in a detention period of less than two years, which is the maximum sentence a youth court can impose. Instead, an 11-year disclosure period would apply. However, for sentences longer than two years, which can only be handed down by an adult crown court, the existing rules would remain. The most serious offences, including severe violence, terrorism-related crimes, and sexual offences, would be exempt from the reforms.
Other changes include cutting or removing the disclosure period for offences that led to a fine, mostly driving-related crimes, and ending disclosure for offences dealt with via out-of-court resolutions, such as knife possession and assault. The government also plans to reform how earlier offences appear in checks for young people who committed multiple crimes as children.
A Second Chance for Young People
Announcing the consultation, justice minister Jake Richards said: "Many young people who offend do not go on to lead lives of crime. They take responsibility, turn their lives around and want to make something of themselves. When they do, we should recognise that progress and support them, not put unnecessary barriers in their way."
The proposals come as the government prepares to publish a long-awaited report by former Labour minister Alan Milburn on tackling youth unemployment and education. In May, Milburn warned that the UK risked raising a "lost generation" as nearly one in eight young people are not working or studying. Richards cited that intervention, noting that employment barriers can be particularly difficult to overcome for those with childhood convictions.
These reforms signal a broader effort to balance public safety with rehabilitation, ensuring that past mistakes do not indefinitely define a young person's future.
