In November 2025, the Government announced that Police and Crime Commissioners will be abolished in 2028, throwing the future funding and commissioning of vital victims’ services into uncertainty.

Victim Support’s CEO Katie Kempen sets out how the Government can get this right – so victims and survivors of crime continue to receive the independent, trauma-informed support they need.

Most victims of crime will never need to know how victims’ services are commissioned, who holds the budgets or what funding model sits behind the support they receive.

Nor should they. What matters to them is something far more important – that high-quality independent support is there when they need it most.

But for those of us who have the privilege of working in victims’ services, it’s clear that the biggest changes to victims’ funding in more than a decade are now on the horizon.

Putting victims first

At Victim Support, we are working hard to understand what these changes will mean for victims – and to make sure their voices are heard as the new system takes shape.

One point should be clear from the outset – the Government has committed to continuing to fund victims’ services beyond 2028. Victims should be reassured that support will not disappear as a result of these reforms.

In fact, redesigning the commissioning model presents an opportunity for a new landscape built on a clear and robust set of principles – principles that put victims first, strengthen their services and deliver more effective support.

All victims should have access to support that’s independent of the police

Independent victims’ services – like those Victim Support delivers across England and Wales – play a vital role in supporting people who may not want to engage with the police, advocating on victims’ behalf, and challenging agencies when they fall short.

Yet in recent years, a small but significant number of areas have seen funding diverted away from independent organisations and brought “in-house” within police forces.

This move towards insourcing erodes, and in some cases undermines, victims’ ability to access services. Many victims value – and need – support that is clearly separate from policing, especially given that around 60% of crime is never reported.

We know that different groups of people report differing levels of confidence in the police – all victims of crime must have access to services they are confident in.

The new model must end this practice and guarantee that funding for victims’ services cannot be absorbed into policing functions.

Support must be available to all victims, without exception

Every victim of crime, adult or child, has the right to access support under the Victims’ Code.

The new commissioning arrangements must reflect this, ensuring that services are available to all victims of crime, not just specific cohorts.

The postcode lottery must end

The ability to tailor local services to local need has been a key strength of the current funding model.

However, it has also led to variation in access, eligibility and service quality across different areas.

Where a victim lives should not determine whether they receive effective support. Introducing consistent national expectations and minimum service standards would help end the postcode lottery, while still allowing services to respond to local demand.

Funding must be ringfenced and protected

One of the clearest risks under the new arrangements is that funding intended for victims’ services could be diluted or absorbed into other spending priorities – particularly given the pressures facing public services.

Victims’ services funding must be clearly ringfenced so it can only be used to deliver independent support that addresses crime-related harm.

This protection will ensure that victims’ services funding is used on services for those that need it.

Cementing long-term stability

In the past, the victims’ sector has faced considerable uncertainty about future funding – with funding allocations often made at short notice and only for the short term. Under the new model, long-term multi-year funding must become the norm.

Budgets should be predictable, sustainable and reflect the true cost of delivering support, with inflation fully accounted for.

Stability matters – for organisations, for staff and, ultimately, for victims who rely on services being there when they need them.

Getting this right

What happens next matters. If we get this right, the new funding landscape can deliver stronger support – independent services that are there for every victim, whatever the crime, wherever they live, and whenever they need them.

Victims may never see the structures that sit behind their support services. But they will feel the difference if we get them right.