Guidance

Annex 1: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - role and responsibilities

Updated 12 February 2026

Applies to England and Wales

1. Introduction

1.1

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) promotes the UK’s interests overseas, supporting our citizens and businesses around the globe. The FCDO is responsible for supporting British nationals around the world through modern and efficient consular services, wherever they are from in the UK, or if they live overseas. This support is provided by the FCDO’s Consular and Crisis Directorate and is delivered by staff based in the UK and at embassies, high commissions and consulates overseas. 

1.2

The FCDO Consular and Crisis Directorate has an important role to play in supporting families bereaved by murder or manslaughter overseas. Where a foreign competent authority confirms a death is being investigated as murder or manslaughter, we will allocate a dedicated case manager in a specialist team (the Murder and Manslaughter team) to support them. This will include:

• explaining the role of the FCDO
• providing the family with country-specific information
• making referrals to specialist support services
• helping the family to make informed decisions on issues such as repatriation

In Europe, the family will be supported by consular staff in the relevant country, with oversight and support from the specialist team in HQ. 

1.3

Each case is considered on a case-by-case basis. In addition to the above, our support could include: 

• Working with the UK police to deliver a death notification to the next of kin where the family are resident in the UK and are not already aware. There may be very little information available at this stage, so families should be encouraged to connect with FCDO to receive updates directly as we receive them. 

• Contacting relevant foreign authorities to officially register the UK government’s interest in receiving updates on the case. 

• Referring eligible family members who consent, to the specialist Ministry of Justice commissioned Homicide Service, currently run by Victim Support. 

• Offering a meeting with consular staff if the family travel to the country where the death occurred. It may also be possible for consular staff to attend the first and last day of a trial, and the verdict. 

• Providing advice on handling media attention. 

• Providing families with an up-to-date list of professional services, including (but not limited to) legal support, translation and interpretation support and local or international funeral directors. 

• Seeking updates on investigations and legal proceedings on behalf of a family and raising any concerns the family may have.

Foreign governments are under no obligation to provide the FCDO with any information in relation to the death of a British national abroad. Depending on the country in question, the investigating authorities and courts may refuse to answer enquiries from third parties, which can include the FCDO and British consular staff. This is why consular staff may recommend that the family consider engaging a lawyer, as they may be able to get access to more information. 

1.4

The FCDO recognises that each family will have different needs and we will adapt our support accordingly. Whilst we cannot provide legal advice or financial assistance, we can signpost to other sources of help including the Homicide Service, to which FCDO provides a financial contribution. 

1.5

Where the family consents to having more than one organisation involved in providing support, families should be reassured that these organisations are working in partnership with them to support them in the best way.  

2. Notification of the death 

2.1

The FCDO may be notified of the murder or manslaughter of a British national in multiple ways, including but not limited to:  

• as an official notification from a foreign competent authority 

• directly from the family or someone who knew the victim  

• reports in the media 

• other sources  

2.2

The FCDO will always try to ensure that the next of kin do not hear about a death through a third party, however this cannot always be prevented.  

2.3

If the FCDO is notified of the death by a foreign competent authority, we will arrange for the relevant England and Wales police force to sensitively notify the next of kin as soon as possible. In these cases, the FCDO will ask the police force notifying the next of kin to pass on the details for the FCDO and encourage them to get in touch. This should ensure that the family member has a contact point at the FCDO from whom they can receive tailored bereavement information and any further updates from the foreign authorities. There may be very little information about the circumstances surrounding the death to share with the family at this stage. 

2.4

If England and Wales police are involved in the case, a roles and responsibilities coordination meeting between FCDO and the police should be organised at the earliest opportunity. At the meeting the aim should be to:

• agree on how information will be passed to the family
• raise any challenges or things to be aware of about the country where the homicide occurred
• discuss making referrals to the Homicide Service

2.5.

If the FCDO is notified of the death by someone who knew the victim, we will allocate a case manager to the family at this stage. We will also do this where we have good reason to believe the family are already aware of the death. We will offer a meeting in the family’s preferred format, whether face to face, by phone, email or in an online video call and explain the role of the FCDO in supporting them. For emergencies or in urgent cases there is an out-of-hours team available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. There will likely be no England or Wales police involvement at this stage.  

2.6.

If the FCDO is notified of the death by the media or other sources, we will urgently try to verify the information with the foreign competent authority. We will then work out what the next steps should be. 

2.7. 

We will send this document to the next of kin along with our guidance on the support you can get after a murder or manslaughter abroad. 

3. Referrals to the Homicide Service 

3.1. 

The FCDO provides a financial contribution to help address the specific needs of families bereaved by the homicide of a British national abroad. Support from the Homicide Service is available to all eligible family members who are resident in England and Wales and consent to being referred. Unlike in domestic cases where police make referrals to the Homicide Service directly, in overseas cases, the Homicide Service will accept referrals from the FCDO and, on occasion, police forces in England or Wales. Family members can self-refer, but the Homicide Service will discuss with either the FCDO, relevant police force or both before confirming support to the individual.  

3.2. 

The Homicide Service provides advocacy and emotional, practical, specialist and peer support (such as bereavement counselling). It can also provide financial help that the UK government does not provide directly, such as funding for repatriation, translation and the appointment of legal support. Go to Annex 2 for more information.  

4. Working with HM Coroners 

4.1. 

When UK-based coroners need information from foreign authorities they must go through the FCDO’s Coroner Liaison Officer (CLO). The CLO will forward the request to the relevant FCDO embassy, high commission or consulate abroad, who will ask the foreign competent authority for the information. The CLO will share any response with the coroner if and when we receive it. We cannot compel the foreign authorities to provide us with any information.