'Potential over their past' | How hiring ex-offenders could boost business, tackle shortages & drive growth

Employers are being encouraged to tap into a talent pool of 9.6 million working-age people with criminal records, as part of a new national campaign to advance fair chance hiring at scale as an effective solution to widening skills gaps and persistent workforce shortages.

The call to action from the The Fair Chance Business Alliance (FCBA) forms a crucial part of ‘Unite 1K,’ a landmark campaign to be launched during the UK’s inaugural Fair Chance Week (27 April – 1 May 2026) to mobilise 1,000 employers to embed truly inclusive hiring practices through adoption of the Fair Chance Charter, a ‘Disability Confident’ for the justice sector.

The FCBA emphasises that bridging the gap between overlooked talent and national skills shortages is both an economic necessity and a moral imperative. The cost of reoffending alone is now nearly double the entire Ministry of Justice (MoJ) budget at an estimated £26.3 billion each year, representing an annual burden of £672 per taxpayer. However, stable employment is proven to be one of the most effective and durable interventions against reoffending.

Why Fair Chance Week matters for all UK businesses

Keith Jones, the FCBA Chair, said: “The UK cannot afford to sideline a ‘waiting workforce’ the size of Greater London. Many of these records stem from minor or historic incidents. For instance, in 2022, 30% of all convictions for women were for non-payment of a TV license.