[wackro]

Recruiters in the UK are not the same as recruiters in the US.

As a contractor in the UK, I've had to deal with them many times. The recruiting industry here has a reputation for cut throat, scumbag practices. Lying about open job applications, cold calling to fish for info on your current role, ghosting you after you make an application with them, chronic time wasting/giving false hope. These are some of what you can expect. There are, of course, good recruiters - more 'human' ones. They're rare, but you'll know when you've got one. I have some saved in my phone.

If you are firm with them you can avoid them wasting your time. But to rely on them is a mistake.

Good luck OP. Also +1 for contracting in private sector because the B2B nature of it avoids checks.

Edit: seems like other people have had contracts with clauses around prev convictions, so maybe ask for a blank contract ahead of time.