© Unlock – Not to be transferred to third parties 1 Bank accounts, insurance and disclosure...

© Unlock – Not to be transferred to third parties1

Bank accounts, insurance and disclosure

Christopher StaceyDirector (Services)

CESI 9th December 2013

© Unlock – Not to be transferred to third parties

Independent award-winning charity set up as an organisation in 1999, and registered as a charity in 2000, by people with convictions

Providing trusted information and advice services for people with criminal convictions.

Work with government, employers and others to change policies and practices

Aim – To create a fairer and more inclusive society so that people with convictions can move on in their lives

Unlock


Don’t deliver Government-contracts – not competing

Maintain independent provision of services to people with conviction (funded through charitable grants and donations) – Helpline, Information Hub, Online Forum, Disclosure Calculator, Online Magazine, Information Sessions

Share knowledge and expertise to help individuals within the CJS by providing support and training to organisations and front-line practitioners

Unlock


Opening basic bank accounts before release


“I need a bank account so it will help to get a job and so I can keep money safe.”

“My release money can go into bank account, as well as benefit assistance to stop me losing it or spending it.”

“Because I want to get a job when released so I need it in order to be paid.”

Why is it important?


In 2011, we found that: Between 30-40% of people in prison do not have a

bank account when they enter prison. Between 26,000 – 38,000 people are released from

prison every year without access to even a basic bank account.

Need / Demand


Partnerships between high-street banks and prisons Identity confirmed using PSI template Accounts opened before release Different banks have different set-ups

Solution


Halifax Pilot: 5% closure rate after 6 months. “Prisoners statistically better customers than average basic account holders.”

Halifax and Barclays: 95% application success rate. Opening accounts at average rate of 7.5 accounts per prison per month

Co-operative Bank have opened thousands of accounts. Evaluation showed re-offending rate dropped 34.8%

Halifax & Co-operative community awards Barclays and Co-operative have received significant positive

press coverage, including The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, London Evening Standard, The Guardian, and featured on BBC Radio 4’s MoneyBox.

Results (1)


122 prisons now have basic bank account opening processes in place

This equals all that want and need one Unlock have directly assisted in setting up 74

Results (2)


Halifax – 33 prisons Co-op – 29 prisons HSBC – 19 prisons Barclays – 16 prisons RBS – 13 prisons Santander – 5 prisons

Activities of the banks


April 2014 – post Unlock? One prison / one bank Shifting landscape – ‘Resettlement prisons’ Capacity in the prisons Service-delivery arrangements – soft/hard

outcomes?

Moving forward


Insurance for people with convictions

(briefly)


Most mainstream companies have blanket policies towards people with unspent convictions

Covers ‘anybody normally residing in the household’, such as partners and children

If in prison for length of policy, not normally an issue

Issues


Since April 2013, only have to disclose if asked If asked, only ‘unspent’ convictions under the

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 Convictions that are ‘spent’ never have to be

disclosed, even if there is a question

What to disclose?


Unlock has a list of specialist brokers Some well-known insurers may provide some types

of insurance with some convictions, e.g. motor insurance for people with non-motoring convictions

Take extra care if an insurer does not ask questions about criminal convictions

Get written proof you have disclosed your conviction or that they do not need to know

Where to get insurance


Support to practitioners on disclosure


Changes to the criminal records regime are constant and confusing Changes to the ROA – first major change in 40 years DBS processes – eligibility, filtering, sent to individual

No government plans to provide practical support Practitioners tend not to receive adequate, accurate

and up-to-date training Result is ineffective/inaccurate advice, poor

outcomes, and issues later down the line (e.g. losing a job)

The need


Training workshops Content can include: Current and future ROA;

Criminal record checks; Eligibility; Filtering; When and how to disclose; Getting insurance; Getting a bank account; Travelling abroad

Regular future information e-updates for attendees Half-day training updates to respond to latest

developments

‘Working with Convictions’


‘Working with Convictions’

“The disclosure training provided by Unlock is engaging and

comprehensive. We held a REACH staff event to look specifically at the

changes to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and staff who attended

commented how useful the day had been. Whilst the principles around

disclosure are a core part of any service that assists people with

convictions into employment, some of the legal aspects are quite

complex and I would recommend anyone who works in this field to

think about completing the Unlock training to ensure they are fully up

to date.

Carrie Peters, Director of the REACH Project


disclosurecalculator.org.uk Find out if convictions are

‘spent’ Will be updated once the

law is changes Organisations can set up

accounts to allow them to build it into their service to their clients

Disclosure Calculator


Cost is based on the number of uses you purchase Ranges from 100 to 1,000 per years

Disclosure Calculator

“This is a really excellent tool. Our staff used to have to spend a lot

of time understanding the Act and working out spent dates for each

client. The Calculator saves us a lot of time and reduces the risk of

human error” Resettlement services provider

© Unlock – Not to be transferred to third parties22

Christopher Stacey | Director (Services)Email: [email protected]: 01634 247350 ext. 202Mobile: 07557 676433

OfficeWrite: 35a High Street, Snodland, Kent, ME6 5AGPhone: 01634 247350 Email: [email protected] Web: www.unlock.org.uk

@unlock2000

Contact details – Me / Office

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.unlock.org.uk/

© Unlock – Not to be transferred to third parties 1 Bank accounts, insurance and disclosure...

Documents

Transcript of © Unlock – Not to be transferred to third parties 1 Bank accounts, insurance and disclosure...