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 — See all updates

Documents

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

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

HTML

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

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

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 601 KB, 43 pages

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The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales (Victims' Code) - large print version

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

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 906 KB, 88 pages

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The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime - easy read

PDF, 7.53 MB, 49 pages

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Victims of crime: Understanding the support you can expect (web version)

PDF, 852 KB, 16 pages

Victims of crime: Understanding the support you can expect (print version)

PDF, 3.16 MB, 16 pages

Young victims of crime: Understanding the support you should get

PDF, 955 KB, 8 pages

Victims’ Code – Leaflet A5 (web)

PDF, 512 KB, 4 pages

Victims’ Code – Leaflet A5 (print)

PDF, 2.12 MB, 2 pages

Victims’ Code – Posters A3 (web)

PDF, 1.64 MB, 2 pages

Victims’ Code – Posters A3 (print)

PDF, 5.77 MB, 2 pages

Victims’ Code – Posters A2 (print)

PDF, 5.68 MB, 2 pages

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

PDF, 657 KB, 39 pages

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

PDF, 693 KB, 47 pages

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

PDF, 922 KB, 45 pages

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

PDF, 450 KB, 45 pages

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

PDF, 677 KB, 43 pages

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

PDF, 419 KB, 44 pages

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

PDF, 438 KB, 41 pages

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

PDF, 491 KB, 46 pages

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

PDF, 430 KB, 44 pages

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

PDF, 680 KB, 42 pages

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

PDF, 465 KB, 45 pages

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

PDF, 432 KB, 44 pages

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

PDF, 689 KB, 68 pages

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

PDF, 487 KB, 45 pages

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

PDF, 713 KB, 37 pages

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Details

The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (Victims’ 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

The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales (Victims’ Code) - BSL translation

Further information

Get support as a victim of crime

Leaflet for victims: resource for police forces

Published 1 October 2005

Last updated 29 January 2025 + show all updates

1. 29 January 2025

   Victims' Code English leaflets and posters updated

2. 10 June 2024

   Added Welsh language versions of Victims’ Code leaflets.

3. 29 February 2024

   Victims’ Code – Leaflet A5 (web) added

4. 14 February 2024

   posters updated

5. 16 January 2024

   15 language translations added.

6. 12 September 2023

   British Sign Language translation added.

7. 5 September 2023

   Large print version of the Victims' Code added.

8. 21 April 2021

   Welsh version of page added.

9. 1 April 2021

   Code of Practice and supporting documents updated

10. 8 October 2018

    Information for Victims of Crime updated.

11. 18 December 2015

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

12. 13 November 2015

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

13. 10 December 2013

    Easyread version of the code added.

14. 10 December 2013

    New code of practice comes in to force

15. 18 November 2013

    Welsh translation of victims code published

16. 29 October 2013

    Published new code of practice

17. 1 October 2005

    First published.