Category: Author: Laaibah Bhatti

At some point in their career, many job seekers are tempted to embellish their qualifications, inflate their job titles, or extend their employment dates in hopes of landing the perfect role. But have you ever stopped to think about the legal consequences of lying on your CV?

According to a 2024 survey by YouGov, over 1 in 10 UK adults (11%) admitted to lying on their CV. While some may consider it a harmless exaggeration, the law sees it very differently.

Under the Fraud Act 2006, providing false information on a CV can be classified as fraud by false representation. This offence carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. That’s right — lying on your CV can land you behind bars.

The landmark case of R v. Andrewes (2022) saw a man jailed after faking his qualifications to secure a high-paying NHS executive role. The courts sent a clear message: dishonesty in job applications will not be taken lightly.

What Does This Mean for You?

If you’re applying for a job, it’s essential to ensure your CV is accurate and truthful. Employers are increasingly conducting thorough background checks, and even minor discrepancies can cost you the job — or worse.

If you’ve made a mistake in the past or are facing an investigation related to CV fraud, it’s crucial to seek legal advice immediately.

Contact our team of experienced solicitors for further confidential guidance on 01753 486777 or info@astonbond.co.uk

Honesty isn’t just the best policy — it’s the law.

We were delighted to welcome Isha to our law firm as part of her work experience placement.

During her time with us, Isha showed great intelligence, curiosity, and a clear passion for the legal field. She quickly grasped complex concepts and engaged thoughtfully with every task. It was a pleasure having such a sharp and motivated young mind on our team.

In Isha’s words:

” I had the pleasure of completing work experience with Aston Bond, which I thoroughly enjoyed and valued.

As a non-law graduate, this week was integral in furthering my passion for law and developing my knowledge and understanding of different practice areas and the work completed within them.

My week consisted of undertaking various administrative tasks, such as preparing documents, filing them away electronically and working on excel spreadsheets. I largely used the firm’s main software, ALB, spending time reading and sorting through matters uploaded onto it, exposing me to real life cases.

Additionally, I had the fantastic opportunity to complete document drafting with multiple practice areas. I worked closely with the Wills and Estate Planning team, where I drafted many wills and accompanying covering letters. I also had a go at drafting a couple lease agreements given to me by the Commercial Property team, where I utilised Thomson Reuter’s Practical Law to expand my understanding of the clauses and provisions within the agreement. Lastly, I engaged with the Employment team where I drafted template settlement agreements for employees.

This week highlighted to me the importance of having genuine people alongside you in the workplace, as everyone in the office was very helpful, friendly and welcoming. Even when others had their own tasks to be getting on with, they never failed to assist me with any queries I had or offer new tasks so I could enhance my understanding of law.

Overall, I had an amazing week in which I learnt a lot and met lovely people, therefore I would highly recommend Aston Bond to complete work experience with”.

Isha Qamar