Victim Personal Statement (VPS)

A statement a victim can make explaining how a crime has affected them, which the court takes into account at sentencing.

A Victim Personal Statement (VPS) gives a victim the chance to explain, in their own words, how a crime has affected them physically, emotionally, financially or in any other way. It is an entitlement under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales. It is usually taken by police when a witness statement is made, or later, and it can be updated before sentence. If the defendant is convicted, the court considers it when deciding the sentence. The victim can ask to read it aloud in court or have someone else, such as the prosecutor, read it, and the court decides how it is presented. The statement should not include opinions about what the sentence should be. Bereaved relatives can make one in homicide cases, and a victim can make a separate statement to the Parole Board later on.

Checked as at 25 September 2026. General information only, not legal advice.