Service description

The Victim’s Code of Practice (VCoP) was introduced by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) in October 2013. It governs services to be provided to victims of crime by criminal justice agencies in England and Wales and forms a key part of the wider Government strategy to transform the criminal justice system by putting victims first, making the system more responsive and easier to navigate.

From April 2015, support services for victims were commissioned at a local level for the first time. This decision was driven by central government but implemented and commissioned by the Police and Crime Commissioner in each area.

The Commissioning Framework provided by the MOJ focuses on outcome-based commissioning which is far more effective for achieving the overarching aims of supporting victims to cope with the immediate impacts of crime and recover from the harm experienced.

Current provision

The OPCC Commissioning team awarded the contract for victim services to Victim Support – a well-known national provider. The contract began on 1 April 2015 and terminates on 31 March 2020.

We are already looking at victim services for 2020 and have started a needs assessment to help inform the most appropriate service for Gloucestershire in the future.

Who is the service for?

Victim support can offer emotional and practical help to people who have been affected by crime in Gloucestershire. They are an independent charity and you can contact them for support regardless of whether you’ve contacted the police, and no matter how long ago the crime took place. They will help you for as long as it takes to overcome the impact of crime. All victims of crime can access the service, however there are separate services for victims of sexual violence, domestic abuse, homicide and road traffic collisions.

How to make a referral? 

If you’ve been affected by crime, call your local victim care team in Gloucestershire on 0808 281 0112. Lines are open 9am-7.30pm Monday to Friday, and 9am-5pm on Saturdays.

If you need support outside of these hours, please call their support line for free on 0808 168 9111 or request support via their website.