Why victims’ rights still aren’t being delivered – and what must change

Victims’ rights only matter if they are upheld. Too often, the Victims’ Code raises expectations that the justice system does not meet – leaving victims confused, sidelined and let down. The Government’s consultation on a revised Code is a chance to change that, but only if it addresses why victims so often don’t see their rights delivered in practice.

My 66‑page response to this consultation has now been submitted. It draws on extensive engagement with victims, survivors, bereaved families, specialist support services and criminal justice professionals, as well as my own experience of more than a decade working to improve the justice system’s response to victims. Together, this insight paints a consistent and troubling picture of how the Victims’ Code operates in practice – and why reform must go beyond words on a page.

At its heart, the Victims’ Code sets out what victims should be able to rely on after a crime: respectful treatment, clear and timely information, and access to appropriate support. These rights are not optional. They are essential if victims are to understand what is happening, make informed choices, and remain engaged with the justice process.

Victims describe a justice process marked by long delays, poor communication and responses that can compound victims’ trauma . Many are required to repeatedly retell their story, re‑explain their needs and chase basic information. Too many feel abandoned as they try to navigate a complex system alone.

Against this backdrop, it is little surprise that so many victims choose to withdraw from the criminal justice process, especially when engaging comes at a significant emotional cost, with little support in return.

As one victim told me during this consultation:

This speaks directly to one of the clearest conclusions of my response: the lack of enforcement and accountability is the Code’s greatest weakness.

Systems for monitoring compliance remain weak, with limited national data, little independent scrutiny, and insufficient use of victim feedback. When rights are breached, victims are often forced to self‑advocate or navigate complex complaints processes – effectively being asked to enforce the Code themselves. Indeed, around a fifth of all of the correspondence I receive raise direct concerns about failures in Code compliance.

Confidence in the criminal justice system is already fragile. Only around half of victims say they believe it is fair or effective, and even fewer feel confident that reporting a crime will result in justice. For marginalised victims – including disabled victims, Deaf victims, migrant victims, victims from minoritised backgrounds and victims of violence against women and girls – these challenges are compounded. Clear gaps also remain in how the system supports child victims.

Understanding a victim’s needs – and acting on them – is fundamental to delivering victims’ rights in practice. A needs assessment should shape how victims are supported, how information is communicated, and how agencies respond as a case progresses, including decisions about special measures to help victims give their best evidence in court.

Yet my response highlights serious and persistent failures in how victims’ needs are assessed and acted upon. Many victims do not recall having a needs assessment at all – or seeing it lead to any meaningful action.

Poor communication is also a major driver of distress and disengagement, with victims telling  me they value clear explanations and meaningful human contact far more than automated updates or digital portals.

That is why my response calls for victims to have: a clear point of contact so they know who to turn to; proper systems to monitor whether agencies are meeting their duties under the Code; and a culture across the justice system where victims’ rights are treated as obligations, not options.

Put simply, this is about victims knowing who they can turn to, not having to chase answers, and being able to trust that the system will do what it says it will do.

Central to this is the introduction of a Victim Care Hub – a specialist, independent service providing victims with a single, knowledgeable point of contact throughout their interaction with the justice system. The Hub would not replace the police, CPS or other criminal justice agencies, nor duplicate existing support services. Instead, it would help victims understand what is happening, ensure information follows them through the system, and make sure their needs are identified, reviewed and acted upon as cases progress.

Alongside this, I continue to call for the introduction of a Victim Unique Identifier, so that information follows the victim. Much like an NHS number allows different parts of the health system to work together around a patient, a shared identifier would allow justice agencies to build on what is already known, rather than asking victims to start again each time. This would reduce repeated disclosure, support a more trauma‑informed approach, and help ensure key decisions are informed by a full and consistent understanding of a victim’s needs.

The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 strengthens my powers as Victims’ Commissioner to scrutinise how agencies deliver the Victims’ Code. But those powers cannot yet make a difference for victims, because the systems needed to monitor and enforce the Code – including the compliance framework and national approaches to victim feedback – are not yet fully in place. Until the Government puts those systems into operation, victims will continue to face a gap between the rights they are promised and the support they receive. In my response, I make clear that this must be implemented without delay.

This consultation must be about more than rewriting the Victims’ Code. If it does not result in real systems for delivery, clear accountability, and a culture that treats victims’ rights as obligations, not aspirations, a new Code will raise the same hopes as before – without delivering meaningful change for victims.

This blog cannot capture the full depth and detail of my submission. I would encourage anyone with an interest in victims’ rights to read the full response, which sets out the evidence, findings and recommendations in full.

At its heart, the submission reflects victims’ lived experience. I am deeply grateful to the victims, survivors and bereaved families who shared their stories with me, often at great personal cost. I also thank the specialist services, organisations and criminal justice agencies whose insight and expertise have been invaluable in shaping a response rooted in the realities victims face.

Further reading:

• The Victims’ Commissioner’s full consultation response: A new Victims’ Code: consultation response – Victims Commissioner
• The Victims’ Code consultation: A new Victims’ Code – GOV.UK
• The current Victims’ Code: Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales (Victims’ Code) – GOV.UK
• Understanding your rights as a victim of crime: Your rights as a victim of crime – Victim and Witness Information
• Annual Victims’ Survey 2024 – Victims Commissioner
• Disabled victims’ experiences of criminal justice systems: A systematic literature review – Victims Commissioner