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Help,,, I have a Police Caution

I have a caution I received about 10 years ago. Will I have to declare this on UCAS? Is it possible for cautions to expire?
Original post by YourLight
I have a caution I received about 10 years ago. Will I have to declare this on UCAS? Is it possible for cautions to expire?


I would ask UCAS although I suspect you wont need to declare it as it is spent

A caution is a formal warning that is given to a person who has admitted the offence. If the person refuses the caution then they will normally be prosecuted through the normal channels for the offence. Although it is not technically classed as a conviction (as only the Courts can convict someone) it can be taken into consideration by the Courts if the person is convicted of a further offence.

Cautions are covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and become spent immediately (apart from conditional cautions which will become spent after 3 months). Unless applying for particular types of work (see below), a person who has spent cautions does not have to disclose them to prospective employers, and employers cannot refuse to employ someone on the basis of spent conviction

However, when applying for particular types of employment, for example, working with children or vulnerable adults, certain professions such as law, health care, and pharmacy, senior management posts within certain sectors and employment where matters of national security are involved, the application form will state that it is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. In these situations, you may need need to disclose your caution , and it may be disclosed on your DBS criminal records check. See Q89 for further guidance on whether your caution will be disclosed.

Cautions will always remain on a person's record. There are only exceptional circumstances when a caution could be removed from a person's record and it is anticipated that such incidents will be rare. Examples of such possible circumstances are that it was found that the original arrest or sample was unlawful or where it was found beyond all doubt that no offence existed. Any requests that fit the above criteria should be directed to ACRO Criminal Records Office. Please see the link in the related information for further details.
Original post by YourLight
I have a caution I received about 10 years ago. Will I have to declare this on UCAS? Is it possible for cautions to expire?

What course are you applying for?
UCAS no longer require criminal record to be declared for most courses.
Reply 3
Original post by PQ
What course are you applying for?
UCAS no longer require criminal record to be declared for most courses.

Medicine. I tried to post this in the Medicine forum but it was deleted.
I suspect for Medicine it might have to be declared although @PQ might know otherwise. It isnt just for UCAS. It might have to be declared to future employers. However it is some years ago and you must have been very young so it might be overlooked. Have you thought of contacting the General Medical Council for their advice.
I would suspect it would need to be declared but would probably also depend on what the caution was for - there is obviously a big difference between a caution for drunk and disorderly and say, fraud or sexual assault for example. Probably best to call UCAS directly :smile:

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