Legal and HR advice to applicants

Disclosure of Criminal Convictions

When you apply for any of our jobs at Slough Borough Council, you must tell us about any unspent criminal convictions you have.

Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, some convictions become spent after a certain period of time. When applying for certain jobs, you will need to declare spent convictions as listed in the table below.

All information you provide will be treated in strict confidence and will only be considered in relation to the job you are applying for.

Having a conviction does not automatically prevent you from being considered for a role. The Council follows the ACAS Code of Practice, particularly where the offence is considered to be significant as to make you unsuitable for the type of work required.

What you need to do

  1. Carefully read the information on this page.
  2. Enter details of any relevant convictions in Section 7 of your application form.

You must also declare spent as well as unspent convictions if you are applying for a role that involves:

  • professions such as accountants, solicitors or nurses
  • regular contact with:
    • people under 18
    • people over 65
    • people who are blind, deaf, or unable to speak
    • people with mental illness.

Disclosure of Criminal Convictions

You must disclose all unspent convictions and spent convictions where required for the role.

Details of relevant convictions and time periods are as follows:

Sentence Becomes spent after
For a sentence of imprisonment or youth custody exceeding 6 months but not exceeding 30 months 10 years
For a sentence of imprisonment or youth custody not exceeding 6 months 7 years
For a sentence or borstal training 7 years
For a fine or other sentence not otherwise covered in this table 5 years
For an absolute discharge 6 months
For a probation order, conditional discharge or bind over, and for fit person orders, supervision care orders under the Children and Young Persons Acts (and their equivalents in Scotland) 1 year, or until the order expires (whichever is longer)
For cashiering, discharge with ignominy or dismissal with disgrace from the Armed Forces 10 years
For simple dismissal from the Armed Forces 7 years
For detention by the Armed Forces 5 years

For detention by direction of the Home Secretary:

Sentence Becomes spent after
For a period exceeding 6 months but not exceeding 30 months 5 years
For a period not exceeding 6 months 3 years
For a detention centre order 3 years
For a remand home order, an approved school order, or an attendance centre order The period of the order plus a further year after the order expires
Plus a further year after The period of the order plus a further 2 years after the order expires (with a minimum of 5 years from the date of conviction)

Important notes

  • A sentence of more than 30 months imprisonment or youth custody can never become spent.
  • If you were under 17 years of age on the date of conviction, for any of the sentences, except those under the heading 'For detention by direction of the Home Secretary', please halve the period shown in the right hand column.

Further guidance