I am in prison / being released from prison, what are my housing options?

Local connection

It is generally more beneficial to you if you approach a Council you have a local connection. You have a local connection Reigate & Banstead if:

• You have lived in the borough for 6 out of the last 12 months, or 3 out of the last 5 years.
• You work in the borough
• You have a close relative (mother, father, sister, brother, adult son or adult daughter) that currently lives in the borough and have lived here for at least the last 5 years.
• Other special circumstances

Your local connection will be the area where you were living in prior to your prison sentence.

Local housing allowance

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) is used to work out how much housing benefit you would be entitled to if you rent your property from a private landlord.

• You can claim LHA if you are a private tenant who needs help with paying rent, whether you are working or claiming other benefits
• You will not be eligible for LHA if you have savings of £16,000 or more, unless you are getting Pension Credit (guarantee credit part).
• You LHA calculation is based on:
  • Where you live in the UK
  • Whether you live in shared accommodation
  • The number of bedrooms needed for the number of people living in the property

For further details and current local LHA rates, please see our Local Housing Allowance webpage.

Money advice

Benefits

You may be entitled to benefits to increase your income.

• Contact the local Citizens Advice or visit the Citizens Advice website, they can advise you on benefits you may be able to claim
• The Government website provides in-depth information and qualification rules about various types of benefits.
• You can visit our claims webpage to apply for Housing Benefit

Free financial advice

Money advice agencies can offer you free financial advice including:

• Advice on how to manage your finances
• Creating a personal budget with you
• Helping you find which benefits you may be entitled to
• Searching for any relevant government-led schemes which may be of help to you
• See our cost of living webpages

Employment advice

Will I be faced with legal restrictions when applying for jobs because of my criminal record?

Generally, people with criminal records can apply for jobs but they may be asked by the employer to make a criminal record disclosure.

However, you should check if you have any restrictions from applying for particular jobs or types of employment, e.g.

• If you are currently on licence and your licence states conditions that can relate to employment, for example, not being able to go to a certain area will mean you cannot apply for jobs there or travel via that area.
• If you are subject to an order that imposes certain prohibitions which may affect employment. For example, if you are under: a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), a Public-Protection Order or a Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA).
• If you have been barred from regulated activity with children or adults

You should speak to your support worker/offending officer if you are unsure whether you are affected by any conditions.

Will my criminal record affect my chances of getting a job?

This will depend on the employer’s policy recruiting people who make a criminal record disclosure.

• When you apply for a job, it is important you show the employer that you have general skills such as: communication, customer relations, flexibility, team work, reliability, motivation etc.
• Applying for jobs where you have relevant skills and experiences will improve your chances of securing a job.
• If you have gaps in your employment history due to time spent in prison, you may find it more beneficial to create a skills-based CV rather than a chronological work history, which will highlight employment gaps. You can see examples of skills-based CVs on the National Careers Service website.
• If you have a serious offending history and you do not have any specific skills for a certain type pf job, it is usually advised that you apply for jobs in sectors such as construction or warehouse work.
• There are many organisations that employ people with offending backgrounds. Some organisations offer support programmes which help ex-offenders get back into work.
• Visit your local Jobcentre

How can I increase my chances of getting into work?

• Improve your understanding of if and when you may need to disclose your criminal record. Speak to offender-support organisations for advice.
• Apply to jobs that suit your skill set, experience and knowledge.
• Seek advice and support to draft your CV/applications to ensure you’re giving yourself the best possible chance.
• Dedicate time to prepare for your interviews.
• Ensure you have at least 2 recent references.

Interview support

If you need help to prepare for your interview, you can find a vast amount of advice available on the Internet. The following websites offer specialist advice on interview support:

• Reed website
• Monster website
• Total Jobs website

You can also find other interview support by simply entering ‘interview preparation’ in a search engine such as Google.

Contacts and organisations that can support you

For a list of organisations and contact details visit our Useful housing contacts webpage.