Families affected by violent crime may need several kinds of help at the same time: immediate emotional or safety support, practical referrals, guidance through police and court processes, and reimbursement for eligible costs. No single program covers every family. What you can use depends on where the crime occurred, whether you were directly harmed, witnessed it, are a close relative, or are bereaved, and the rules of the local service or compensation scheme.
This guide separates the systems in the United States and England and Wales. They are different systems, and a right or deadline in one does not automatically apply in the other.
Start by identifying the help you need now
Before dealing with forms or a court timetable, decide whether your family has an urgent safety, health, or housing problem. If anyone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services. A victim-support service can then help coordinate the next steps rather than making you search for every agency yourself.
Most families use one or more of these support lanes:
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- Emotional and crisis support: trauma counseling, bereavement services, peer support, crisis lines, and referrals to local clinicians or shelters.
- Practical navigation: help locating services, arranging interpreters or accessibility support, understanding paperwork, and identifying safe accommodation or other urgent resources.
- Police, prosecution, and court support: information about an investigation, prosecution, hearings, outcomes, and practical help with attending court.
- Compensation: an application-based route that may reimburse specified crime-related expenses. Eligibility, evidence rules, and deadlines depend on the jurisdiction.
Ask every service what it actually provides, whether it is free, who in the family can use it, how confidential it is, and whether there is a waiting list. A referral is not a promise that counseling, housing, or compensation will be available.
Who in the family can ask for support?
Programs do not always define “victim” in the same way. A person physically or psychologically injured by the offence may qualify directly. A witness may have separate rights and services. A close relative may receive bereavement, counseling, information, or compensation-related help, particularly after a death. Some systems also recognize a nominated family spokesperson who communicates with agencies on behalf of an affected person.
When you contact a service, explain your relationship to the person harmed, whether the crime was reported, whether anyone died, whether you witnessed the event or its immediate aftermath, and what costs or symptoms you are experiencing. That information lets the service route you to the correct program without assuming that every relative has identical eligibility.
Emotional, crisis, and bereavement support
Immediate and ongoing emotional care
USAGov directs people affected by crime to hotlines and local services, including counseling and shelter resources. Local victim-service agencies can assess immediate risk, connect you with mental-health providers, and explain whether services are free or funded through a particular program. Availability varies by location and by whether the provider serves survivors, witnesses, children, or bereaved relatives.
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Named support organizations
An official HSE resource list identifies Victim Support as offering a free, confidential 24/7 support line and live chat for victims and witnesses, and identifies Cruse Bereavement Care as a source of free bereavement support. Confirm current contact details, geographic reach, eligibility, and opening arrangements directly with the organization before relying on a service.
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Services may be available to a close relative even when that person was not at the scene, but the precise rules differ. A support worker can explain whether the family member should apply as a victim, witness, bereaved person, or supporter of the directly harmed person.
Practical help and finding a local service
Victim services can act as navigators. They may identify local counseling, shelter, financial assistance, interpreters, disability accommodations, child support, or bereavement groups; help you understand agency letters; and tell you which office handles compensation for the place where the crime occurred.
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Use an official national or state locator or ask the police, prosecutor, hospital social worker, or local authority for the victim-support contact. Tell the service what you need in concrete terms: “I need a safe place tonight,” “I need help attending a hearing,” “I witnessed the attack and cannot sleep,” or “I paid funeral expenses.” Specific requests make it easier to identify the right specialist.
- Write down the location where the crime occurred and the date it was reported.
- List each affected family member and their role: survivor, witness, close relative, bereaved relative, or family spokesperson.
- Record urgent needs, medical or counseling appointments, lost work, travel, funeral bills, and other crime-related expenses.
- Ask the official service which programs apply, what documents are required, and whether an application deadline runs from the incident, death, report, or another event.
- Keep copies of police reports, court letters, receipts, medical records, and every application or referral.
Do not delay simply because you are waiting for a criminal case to finish. Some support is available during an investigation, and compensation programs may impose their own deadlines.
Support through police, prosecution, and court processes
England and Wales: rights under the Victims’ Code
The current Victims’ Code sets minimum service standards for providers in England and Wales. For relevant provisions, its definition of victim includes a close relative—or a nominated family spokesperson—of a person whose death was directly caused by a criminal offence.
The Code states: “You have the Right to be referred to services that support victims, which includes the Right to contact them directly, and to have your needs assessed so services and support can be tailored to meet your needs.” This is statutory guidance for England and Wales, not a UK-wide code. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different arrangements.
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Depending on the circumstances, the Code covers information about the investigation and prosecution, the trial process, case outcomes, and offender information. Ask the police or prosecution service how you will receive updates, who your contact is, and how to report a change of address or communication need.
Witness and court assistance
Official HSE guidance identifies Citizens Advice Witness Services as offering advice and support about attending court. A witness service can explain the layout and process, discuss practical arrangements, and provide emotional support. It does not automatically provide legal representation or replace advice from a solicitor.
If a family member is expected to give evidence, ask early about separate waiting areas, screens or video links where available, accessibility, childcare, travel, and what information can be shared with relatives. The court or witness service must confirm what measures are available in that case.
A specific bereaved-relative referral rule
The current England and Wales Code page says specified bereaved relatives may have a right to automatic referral within 10 working days of sentencing in the specific circumstance described there: a conviction for a specified violent or sexual offence and the required sentence or detention. The full conditions matter, so ask the responsible service whether your case meets them rather than treating 10 working days as a universal deadline or guarantee.
Compensation in the United States
How the state and territorial system works
The U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) explains that victim compensation is direct reimbursement to, or on behalf of, a victim for certain crime-related expenses. Federal funds support programs in all states, Washington, D.C., U.S. territories, and the freely associated jurisdictions listed by OVC, but each program sets its own eligibility rules and covered costs.
Potential categories identified by OVC include medical care, mental-health counseling, lost wages, and funeral or burial costs. A family should contact the program for the state or territory where the crime occurred, not simply the place where the family lives. The program can tell you whether relatives, witnesses, or estate representatives may apply, what evidence is needed, and whether other insurance or public benefits must be used first.
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Why local rules matter: the Illinois example
Illinois lists possible assistance for counseling or psychiatry for victims and family, medical and rehabilitation expenses, certain lost wages, funeral and burial expenses, and other specified items. Its reporting requirements and payment limits are Illinois-specific. They illustrate why a rule from one state cannot be generalized to the entire United States.
When applying, ask whether counseling must be provided by an approved professional, whether bills must be submitted by the provider, how lost wages are calculated, and which documents establish funeral costs or a family relationship. Keep submitting requested information even if the criminal case is unresolved, unless the program tells you otherwise.
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Compensation claims in England and Wales, and the related scheme overview
The GOV.UK violent-crime compensation overview says a claim under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme may be relevant where a close relative died, you witnessed a crime against a loved one or were present immediately afterward, or you paid funeral costs. It states that the crime must have been reported to the police before applying.
The same overview says claims usually must be made within two years and that an eligible injury payment may range from £1,000 to £250,000. Those figures describe the scheme overview, not a guaranteed family payment or an individual award. The deadline is described as usual, not universal; exceptions and detailed eligibility rules can change the result. Check the current, detailed scheme rules and application guidance before filing.
Prepare a timeline, the police-report details, medical or psychological evidence, proof of your relationship to the deceased or injured person, funeral invoices, and records of other expenses. Ask the scheme or a qualified adviser which documents are required and whether a late application can be considered.
How the main routes differ
| Route | Where it applies | Typical purpose | What to check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local victim-support service | Determined by the service’s location and eligibility area | Referrals, crisis support, counseling information, practical navigation, and links to court or shelter services | Who can use it, confidentiality, cost, language access, and availability |
| U.S. victim-compensation program | State, Washington, D.C., territory, or listed freely associated jurisdiction where the crime occurred | Reimbursement for eligible crime-related expenses such as medical care, counseling, lost wages, and funeral or burial costs | Local eligibility, covered expenses, evidence, reporting rules, and deadlines |
| England and Wales Victims’ Code | England and Wales | Minimum standards for referrals, needs assessment, and information about investigation, prosecution, trial, outcomes, and compensation | Whether the Code provision applies to your role and circumstances |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme overview | GOV.UK scheme information covering relevant claims connected with violent crime; confirm the current scheme rules for your case | Potential compensation for eligible injuries and certain death, witnessing, or funeral-cost situations | Police reporting, the usual two-year claim period, evidence, and exceptions |
A practical plan for the first days and weeks
During the first 24 to 72 hours
- Prioritize physical safety, urgent medical care, and a safe place to stay.
- Ask police or a victim service for the name and contact details of the person handling victim support.
- Tell providers about children, disability, language, transport, or privacy needs.
- Start one folder—paper or digital—for reports, letters, receipts, and appointment notes.
During the investigation
- Ask how and when you will receive updates and how to correct contact information.
- Request referrals for trauma or bereavement care rather than waiting for symptoms to become severe.
- Ask a compensation program whether you can submit counseling, medical, wage, or funeral documents before the case ends.
- Check every deadline in writing; do not assume a criminal-court timetable controls a compensation claim.
Before a hearing or trial
- Contact the witness service or court contact about arrival times, waiting areas, accessibility, and travel.
- Ask what information can be shared with relatives and whether a family spokesperson can receive updates.
- Plan childcare, work leave, medication, and transport so attendance does not create a new crisis.
After sentencing or case closure
- Ask about outcome notifications and any offender-information service for which you may qualify.
- Revisit counseling and bereavement needs; grief and trauma can intensify after proceedings end.
- Check whether unpaid eligible expenses or an unsubmitted compensation application remain.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Assuming every relative has the same rights
A spouse, child, parent, witness, and nominated spokesperson may fall under different provisions. Describe each person’s role separately and ask the agency to record it accurately.
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Waiting for a conviction before seeking help
Counseling, safety planning, referrals, and witness assistance may be available while an investigation is open. Compensation programs also have independent reporting and filing rules.
Treating a referral as a guaranteed service
A referral means an agency has identified a possible provider. Confirm intake dates, fees, confidentiality, qualifications, and whether the provider serves your area.
Using the wrong jurisdiction
For U.S. compensation, start with the state or territory where the crime occurred. For England and Wales rights, use the current Victims’ Code and local service information; do not apply its provisions across the whole UK.
Missing evidence or deadlines
Keep originals and copies of reports, bills, wage records, medical notes, funeral invoices, and correspondence. Ask promptly about deadlines, extensions, and acceptable alternatives when a document is unavailable.
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- Can close relatives or witnesses use this service, or only the directly injured person?
- Is the service free, and are there charges for counseling, records, travel, or applications?
- What support is available now for safety, shelter, trauma, bereavement, or court attendance?
- Which expenses can be considered, and what proof is required?
- What is the filing deadline, and does it change if the victim is a child, dies, or cannot apply?
- Who will receive updates, how will privacy be protected, and how can an accessibility or language need be recorded?
Where to turn first
Begin with the official victim-support or compensation locator for the jurisdiction where the crime occurred. In the United States, OVC directs families to the relevant state or territorial compensation program. In England and Wales, ask the police, prosecution service, or local victim-support provider to apply the Victims’ Code and assess your needs. For a death, request bereavement support and ask separately about witness, court, and funeral-cost routes.
Write down the name of every contact, the date of each call, and the next action promised. If an agency cannot help, ask which office has responsibility and request that referral in writing. Prompt contact is important because local programs can have reporting conditions, evidence requirements, waiting lists, or claim deadlines.
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