Consultation on Improving the Victims’ Code
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
The government’s response to the outcome of the 2020 consultation: ‘Improving the Victims’ Code’ provides:
- the background to the consultation
- a summary of the responses to the consultation
- responses to specific questions on our proposals
- conclusions and next steps
- a list of respondents
Original consultation
Consultation description
The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (the Victims’ Code) is a statutory Government document which sets out the minimum level of services that victims of crime should receive from criminal justice agencies and other organisations in England and Wales. It enables victims to receive the information they need about their case, the criminal justice system, and the support services available, so that they can navigate the justice process and make their own informed decisions about what services to access, and what they are entitled to expect.
The Victims’ Code came into effect in 2006, having been required by the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. It built on the support for victims within the Victims’ Charter, which was introduced in 1990 and which set out for the first time the levels of service victims of crime should expect. The Code was updated in 2013 and again in 2015.
This consultation is the next step in improving the experience of victims within the justice system and will pave the way for a Victims’ Law that will guarantee victims their rights. We now want to hear what you have to say about our proposed changes.
Updates to this page
Last updated 18 November 2020 + show all updates
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Government response and Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales published.
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As a result of the coronavirus outbreak, this consultation has been extended and will now run until 28 May 2020.
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First published.