‘Victims’ rights are gathering dust’: Commissioner calls for urgent action to deliver reforms championed by Baroness Newlove

Download the Victims’ Commissioner’s 2024/25 annual report

Baroness Newlove’s final Annual Report has now been published and laid before Parliament. Covering her final year in office until her passing in November 2025, the report reflects on Baroness Newlove’s lasting contribution to improving how victims are recognised and supported, and brings together the progress made during her tenure.

To mark the publication, the Victims’ Commissioner, Claire Waxman, wrote on 30 June to the Deputy Prime Minister calling for urgent action to implement outstanding reforms and ensure victims consistently receive the rights and support they are entitled to.

The report is published to coincide with Victims’ Day, part of Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week – an issue Baroness Newlove worked tirelessly to address throughout her career. A Parliamentary reception this evening, hosted by the charity ASB Help, brings together colleagues, campaigners and stakeholders who supported her work in tackling anti-social behaviour.

It comes as new national polling data from Resolve, published to coincide with ASB Awareness Week (29 June to 3 July), show that nearly one in three people (28%) say anti-social behaviour has made them feel unsafe in their local area. More than one in seven have considered moving home as a result, while 6% say they have moved. Concerningly, 63% of those who experienced anti-social behaviour in the past three years did not report it.

During her time in office, Baroness Newlove consistently shone a spotlight on the devastating impact of anti-social behaviour – work she explored in depth in her landmark 2019 report Living a Nightmare and revisited in 2024. Drawing on more than 500 first-hand accounts, her 2024 report found that many victims were subjected to years of persistent anti-social behaviour, often with no resolution.

Her final report draws on evidence from across her work as Victims’ Commissioner – including research, stakeholder engagement and victim insight – highlighting key milestones alongside ongoing challenges, including record Crown Court backlogs and wider pressures across the justice system.

In her letter to the Deputy Prime Minister, Claire Waxman raises concern that despite receiving Royal Assent two years ago, key provisions of the Victims and Prisoners Act have yet to be fully implemented.

The Act places a duty on criminal justice agencies to monitor and report on how well they deliver victims’ rights under the Victims’ Code, including providing clear information, case updates and referrals to support services.

Research from the Victims’ Commissioner shows that many victims are still not receiving these basic entitlements, with fewer than half (42%) believing they can get justice, and just over a quarter (27%) recalling being referred to specialist support services. Less than a fifth of victims had heard of the Victims’ Code.

Claire Waxman uses the letter to call on the government to act swiftly to implement these measures, ensuring agencies are properly held to account for delivering victims’ rights. “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,” she writes.

This comes as leading charities have also raised concerns that many victims are yet to benefit from the changes. In a joint letter to the Victims’ Minister, organisations including Victim Support and the NSPCC warned that delays risk leaving victims without access to the support and information they are entitled to.

Victims’ Commissioner Claire Waxman OBE said: “As Victims’ Commissioner, Baroness Newlove was a real force for change and this report is a powerful testament to her enduring legacy.

“But it is also clear that victims’ rights are gathering dust as we wait for Government to deliver on the changes they promised.

“Two years on from the Victims and Prisoners Act, the very measures meant to strengthen the Victims’ Code still exist only on paper.

“Helen and I fought for this law to deliver real accountability, not warm words. That is why I have written to the Deputy Prime Minister to call for urgent action to ensure victims consistently receive the rights and support they are entitled to.”

Harvinder Saimbhi, Chief Executive of ASB Help, said: “ASB Help is honoured to host an event in Baroness Newlove’s memory. We are proud to have worked alongside her, and the sector owes her a great deal for her tireless commitment to making communities safer and ensuring victims receive the respect, protection and justice they deserve.

“The work Helen began is not yet complete. She campaigned tirelessly for victims of anti-social behaviour to be fully covered by the Victims’ Code and pressed for stronger data compliance and accountability across agencies. She has built a strong foundation for us to continue her legacy, and we remain committed to carrying forward the principles she championed with such integrity and courage. Thank you, Helen.”

Further reading

• Download the Victims’ Commissioner’s 2024-25 Annual Report
• Read the letter to the Deputy Prime Minister
• See the tributes paid to Baroness Newlove
• Read the blog: Baroness Newlove changed how we talk about victims. Now we must deliver for them