Important changes to the law on disclosure of criminal records came into force on 28th October 2023; importantly prison sentences of over 4 years can now be "spent" with specific exclusions. The up to date position is on this MOJ Factsheet. Unlock, the organisation which works tirelessly on this issue will be monitoring the impact of the changes. 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/653b5dded10f3500139a6a4a/14.364_MOJ_Criminal_Record_Factsheet_WEB.pdf

Image from Markus Winkler on Unsplash