27th April – 1st May 2026 marked the UK’s first Fair Chance Week – a moment that brought together voices across the UK’s private, public and voluntary sectors to spotlight the barriers people with criminal records face, and push for real solutions.

By 2028, the UK’s Fair Chance talent pool represents more than 10 million people – which is one-in-four working-age adults, including a significant proportion of young people. This waiting workforce is the size of the population of Greater London. Yet for many organisations, outdated recruitment practices and enduring stigma continue to block access to stable, quality employment.

By removing these barriers, employers can directly contribute to generational social mobility, strengthen communities, and support the UK Government’s ambition to reach an 80 percent employment rate – while delivering one of the most effective interventions against reoffending: sustained, meaningful work.

Skilled and motivated candidates are frequently filtered out of the recruitment processes due to stigma, misunderstanding, or risk-averse hiring practices, rather than their ability to do the job.

Fair Chance hiring helps employers widen talent pipelines, address skills shortages, improve retention, and build stronger, more inclusive workplaces.

When businesses create Fair Chances for people with records, they strengthen their own organisations, their communities, and the economy.