Victims' Code Rights

The 2024 Victims' Code provides 12 overarching rights to victims of crime in England and Wales. The rights are:

1. Right to be referred to support services — When you report a crime, the police must refer you to a relevant support service (such as Victim Support) within 2 working days (1 working day for serious crime victims) unless you opt out.
2. Right to be given information about your crime — You are entitled to receive a written acknowledgement of your report and to be kept informed about progress.
3. Right to be provided information about the investigation — You must be told within a set timeframe whether a suspect has been arrested, charged, or released (with or without conditions).
4. Right to be given information about the prosecution — You must be informed of key prosecution decisions, including if a charge is dropped or downgraded, and the reasons why.
5. Right to be supported when giving evidence — Eligible victims are entitled to special measures in court (screens, video link, intermediaries, live link) to reduce the stress of giving evidence.
6. Right to be given information about the trial, verdict, and sentence — You must be told of the outcome of any trial and the sentence imposed.
7. Right to make a Victim Personal Statement (VPS) — You have the right to make a written or video statement describing the physical, emotional, financial, or psychological impact of the crime. This is considered by the court before sentencing.
8. Right to make a Victim Personal Statement to the Parole Board — If the offender is in prison and applying for parole, you have the right to submit a statement to the Parole Board and, in some cases, to attend the hearing.
9. Right to seek a review of a CPS decision not to charge or to stop proceedings — Under the Victims' Right to Review (VRR) scheme, you can ask the CPS to review certain decisions.
10. Right to compensation — You should be given information about how to apply to the CICA for compensation and, where a court makes a compensation order, the offender must pay you directly.
11. Right to be provided information about the criminal justice system and support available — Agencies must give you clear, accessible information about the process.
12. Right to make a complaint — You have the right to complain about a failure to provide the services set out in the Code.

Enhanced rights under the Victims' Code apply to three categories of victim who are considered to have greater needs:

• Victims of the most serious crime: including murder and manslaughter, rape and serious sexual assault, human trafficking, terrorism, and domestic abuse. These victims receive enhanced information entitlements and proactive contact from agencies.
• Persistently targeted victims: those who have been repeatedly victimised — for example, repeated incidents of domestic abuse or racially motivated harassment. Agencies must provide enhanced support and consider the cumulative impact of victimisation.
• Vulnerable or intimidated victims: those who are under 18, have a mental disorder or significant impairment, or whose evidence is likely to be diminished by fear or distress about testifying. These victims may be eligible for special measures in court.

Victims of domestic abuse are automatically treated as enhanced rights victims. A needs assessment must be carried out for all victims to identify whether enhanced services are needed.

A Victim Personal Statement (VPS) allows you to describe, in your own words, how the crime has affected you — physically, emotionally, financially, or psychologically. It is separate from your witness statement (which describes what happened) and focuses on the impact of the crime on you and those close to you.

Key points about VPS:

• You should be offered the opportunity to make a VPS by the police officer taking your statement. You do not have to make one, and you can make one at a later stage if you initially decline.
• The VPS is read by the judge or magistrate before passing sentence. The court must take it into account when considering the impact of the offence.
• You may, in some cases, read the statement aloud in court, have it read by someone else, or have it played as a video recording.
• In cases involving a death, family members may make a VPS describing the impact of the bereavement (this is sometimes called a Family Impact Statement).
• For parole hearings, you can submit a separate Victim Personal Statement to the Parole Board. The Victim Contact Scheme (VCS), run by the National Probation Service, will contact you about this if the offender received a qualifying sentence.

Each criminal justice agency has its own complaints process for failures to meet the standards in the Victims' Code. If you believe your rights have not been upheld:

1. Complain to the relevant agency: Contact the police force, CPS, court, or probation service that failed you and ask them to address the complaint.
2. Escalate if not resolved: If the agency does not resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you can escalate to:
• The Police and Crime Commissioner (for police complaints)
• The HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) (for CPS complaints)
• The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman — but only via your MP
3. Contact your MP: Your MP can refer your complaint to the Ombudsman and raise issues with the relevant minister.

Victim Support and the Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales can also provide guidance and advocacy if your rights have not been respected. The Victims' Commissioner has the power to monitor compliance with the Code and report to Parliament.