Proposed changes to notification requirements: The Crime and Policing Bill

The Crime and Policing Bill was introduced to the House of Commons and given its first reading on 25 February 2025, followed by its second reading on 10 March 2025. The House of Commons Committee sat on 27 March 2025 to discuss the Bill further.

The Bill introduces measures to address anti-social behaviour, violent and sexual offences, property crimes and criminal exploitation. It also looks at strengthening the powers of the police, border force, and other law enforcement agencies, as well as seeking to enhance confiscation and public order measures. The Bill also looks to reform terrorism and national security laws and includes provisions on corporate criminal liability and international crime agreements.

The Bill also seeks to introduce a number of changes to the notification requirements.

What are notification requirements?

Individuals who are cautioned, convicted, or subject to a finding for an offence specified in Schedule 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 are legally required to provide certain personal details to the police under Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. These are known as ‘notification requirements’ or collegially known as being on the Sex Offenders Register.

Following conviction, the individual must attend their local police station within three days of their Court hearing to complete the initial notification process.

The initial notification requirements include providing the following details:

• Full name and any previous names used.
• Date of birth.
• National insurance number.
• Home address or alternative address where they can be located.
• Details of any residence where they stay for at least 12 hours in a household with a child under the age of 18.
• Passport and identity document details.
• Financial account details, including any debit or credit cards.

Throughout the notification period, which varies depending on the length of sentence an individual receives, they must comply with ongoing notification requirements, including:

• Name changes: any change of name must be reported within three days.
• No fixed address: individuals who do not have a permanent home address must report to the police station every seven (7) days.
• Foreign travel: if there are no foreign travel prohibition, travel plans must be reported at least seven (7) days before departure, with any changes notified 12 hours in advance.
• Financial information: any new bank accounts or bank cards either individually held, jointly held or linked to a business must be disclosed within three (3) days.

Failure to comply with notification requirements is a criminal offence and may result in prosecution. 

Changes to notification requirements

Chapter 4 of Part 5 of the Crime and Policing Bill includes reforms that seek to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of the current notification regime. Some of the proposed changes are as follows:

• Requiring Registered Sex Offenders (“RSOs”) to notify police no less than seven (7) days before using a new name, or if not reasonably practicable, within three (3) days of using the new name.
• Requiring RSOs to give advance notification that they will be absent from their home address, even within the UK, for five or more days. This will include notification of their travel and accommodation arrangements during that time, including the date that the RSO will leave their home address and their date of return to that address.
• Requiring certain RSOs, namely those convicted of a child sex offence or those whom a Chief Officer of the Police has stated the requirement will apply to, to notify the police before entering specified premises where children are present.
• Give the police a power to authorise RSOs to notify virtually in specified circumstances. Virtual notification would need to be via a means of communication that enables the offender and officer to see and hear each other in real-time. It is hoped that this will address the challenges identified in that RSOs, in particular localities, have difficulty reaching a police station within the statutory three-day time limit to notify changes to their details.
• Reducing the rank of a police officer from superintendent to inspector who is able to authorise warrant applications for the police to enter an RSO’s home to assess their risk of sexual harm.

How we can assist

If you wish to discuss the proposed changes to notification requirements or explore making an application for removal from the Sex Offenders Register, please get in touch with us.