Statutory guidance

The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales and supporting public information materials

The Victims' Code focuses on victims' rights and sets out the minimum standard that organisations must provide to victims of crime.

From:
Ministry of Justice
Published
1 October 2005
Last updated
29 January 2025 鈥� See all updates

Documents

Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales (Victims' Code)

Ref: ISBN 978-1-5286-2253-0

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Ref: ISBN 978-1-5286-2253-0

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Ref: ISBN 978-1-5286-2253-0

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Details

The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (Victims鈥� Code) sets out the minimum standards that must be provided to victims of crime by organisations (referred to as service providers) in England and Wales.

Victims of crime should be treated in a respectful, sensitive and professional manner without discrimination of any kind. They also have the following rights:

  1. To be able to understand and to be understood
  2. To have the details of the crime recorded without unjustified delay
  3. To be provided with information when reporting the crime
  4. To be referred to services that support victims and have services and support tailored to your needs
  5. To be provided with information about compensation
  6. To be provided with information about the investigation and prosecution
  7. To make a Victim Personal Statement
  8. To be given information about the trial, trial process and your role as a witness
  9. To be given information about the outcome of the case and any appeals
  10. To be paid expenses and have property returned
  11. To be given information about the offender following a conviction
  12. To make a complaint about your rights not being met

British Sign Language translation

Further information

Get support as a victim of crime

Leaflet for victims: resource for police forces

Updates to this page

Published 1 October 2005
Last updated 29 January 2025 show all updates

  1. Victims' Code English leaflets and posters updated

  2. Added Welsh language versions of Victims鈥� Code leaflets.

  3. Victims鈥� Code 鈥� Leaflet A5 (web) added

  4. posters updated

  5. 15 language translations added.

  6. British Sign Language translation added.

  7. Large print version of the Victims' Code added.

  8. Welsh version of page added.

  9. Code of Practice and supporting documents updated

  10. Information for Victims of Crime updated.

  11. The code of practice for victims of crime - Welsh version added to page.

  12. Updated 'Code of practice for victims of crime' added to page.

  13. Easyread version of the code added.

  14. New code of practice comes in to force

  15. Welsh translation of victims code published

  16. Published new code of practice

  17. First published.

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