Criminal convictions Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 applicants
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have the right not to disclose "spent" convictions when applying for a job. The Act makes it unfair to sack someone or discriminate against their employment in any way once a conviction is spent.
Convictions are spent after a period of rehabilitation which is determined by a combination of factors including the sentence and the offender's age when convicted. Typically sentences of six months are spent after seven years, while those of 30 months or more are never spent. In professions involving care or teaching all convictions must always be disclosed.
With those exceptions, prospective employees do not have to reveal details of convictions, spent or not, unless the employee has specifically asked for them.