​The Victims' Code

This page has information about making a complaint linked to your experience as a victim.
Published: 6 September 2016
Last updated: 22 September 2026

If you’re a victim of crime, you may be able to bring a complaint about certain public services directly to us - you do not need your MP to refer it if the complaint relates to your experience as a victim. The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 sets out who counts as a victim. Under the Act, you can be considered a victim even if you have not reported the crime to the police. 

You will still need to complete the complaints process of the organisation you are unhappy with first.

If you have any questions about making a complaint linked to your experience as a victim, call us on 0345 015 4033. 

Complaints about the Victim’s Code

The Victims’ Code (The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime) sets out the minimum level of service that criminal justice organisations in England and Wales must provide to victims of crime. It also applies to close relatives if the victim died as a result of a crime. 

If you believe an organisation covered by the Victim’s Code has not provided the service it sets out, you should first complain to that organisation. If you are unhappy with their response, you can bring your complaint to us.

Under the Victims’ Code, you have the right to:

  • be understood, and understand information given to you
  • have the crime recorded without unnecessary delay
  • receive information when you report the crime
  • be referred to support services tailored to your needs
  • receive information about compensation
  • receive information about the investigation and prosecution
  • make a Victim Personal Statement
  • receive information about the trial and your role as a witness
  • be told the outcome of the case and any appeal
  • have expenses paid and property returned
  • receive information about the offender after a conviction
  • complain if your rights are not met.

Organisations that the Victims’ Code applies to

The following organisations are named in the Code and are required to deliver these rights:

  • police and Crime Commissioners
  • all police forces in England and Wales, the British Transport Police and the Ministry of Defence Police
  • Police Witness Care Units (local units may be known by other names)
  • The Crown Prosecution Service
  • HM Courts and Tribunals Service
  • HM Prison and Probation Service
  • The National Probation Service
  • The Parole Board for England and Wales
  • The Criminal Cases Review Commission
  • The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
  • The UK Supreme Court
  • Youth Offending Teams.

Some victims will receive their rights through a combination of the organisations listed above and other service providers. These service providers are limited to investigating and prosecuting certain types of crime, and include:

  • The Competition and Markets Authority
  • Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Criminal Enforcement)
  • The Environment Agency
  • The Financial Conduct Authority
  • The Gambling Commission
  • The Health and Safety Executive
  • HM Revenue and Customs
  • Home Office (Immigration Enforcement)
  • The Information Commissioner’s Office
  • Independent Office for Police Conduct
  • The National Crime Agency
  • Natural Resources Wales
  • the NHS
  • The Office of Rail and Road
  • The Serious Fraud Office.