The Ministry of Justice has published new guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 which will be valid from 10 March 2014 when changes to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 come into force. This new guidance provides background information on the Act, explains who benefits from it, and sets out rehabilitation periods for offences covered by the Act. It has been revised following the implementation of changes to the ROA included in the Legal Aid and Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (see our News Update on 21 February for the details). It has been designed to assist in understanding the difference between spent and unspent convictions, and which convictions which need to be declared when applying for jobs. It also explains where exceptions to the Act exist, when certain spent cautions or convictions must be disclosed.

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