What is a Victim Personal Statement, who sees it, and do you have to make one? Here's what you need to know about your rights
A witness statement explains what happened. A Victim Personal Statement, or VPS, is different.
It gives you the opportunity to explain the impact a crime has had on you - physically, emotionally, psychologically, financially or in other areas of your life. Under the Victims’ Code in England and Wales, victims have the right to make one. But you do not have to.
What can I put in a Victim Personal Statement?
A VPS is about the impact of the crime on you.
You might want to explain:
How your physical or mental health has been affected.
Whether you feel less safe.
The impact on your work, education or relationships.
Any financial consequences.
Changes to your day-to-day life.
Whether you feel vulnerable or intimidated.
Any ongoing support you need.
There is no single correct way to describe the impact of crime. It is your opportunity to explain what the consequences have actually looked like in your life.
Is it the same as my witness statement?
No. Your witness statement is primarily evidence about the offence and what happened.
Your Victim Personal Statement focuses on how the crime has affected you and what those consequences have meant for your life. The two serve different purposes. A VPS is not used to decide whether someone is guilty. The court considers it when sentencing someone who has pleaded guilty or been found guilty.
When can I make one?
The police should provide you with information about Victim Personal Statements when you report a crime and give you the opportunity to make one. But you do not necessarily have to make it straight away.
For many people, the full impact of a crime may not be obvious immediately. You can make a VPS later in the process, including after someone has been charged. However, don't leave it too late, as sentencing can sometimes happen quickly if a defendant pleads guilty.
If the impact changes over time, you can also provide an additional statement reflecting those changes before sentencing. That matters.
Recovery is not always linear, and the consequences of crime do not necessarily become clear on the day it is reported.
Can I change or withdraw it?
Once you have made a Victim Personal Statement, it becomes part of the case papers. You cannot simply withdraw or rewrite the original statement.
However, if something important changes, you remember something relevant, or the impact of the crime develops, you can provide another Victim Personal Statement to update the court before sentencing. If you want to do this, speak to your police contact or Witness Care Unit. You can also request a copy of your original statement from the police.
Will the defendant see it?
Usually, yes, if the case reaches court. The defendant and their legal representatives can generally see your Victim Personal Statement. In some circumstances, you could also be asked questions about something contained within it if the court considers it relevant.
If your statement is read aloud in open court, its contents may also be reported by the media, subject to any applicable reporting restrictions. That is worth knowing before deciding what personal information you want to include.
Will it be read aloud in court?
You can say whether you would prefer:
To read your VPS yourself.
For somebody else to read it on your behalf.
For it not to be read aloud.
If the defendant pleads guilty or is found guilty, the judge or magistrates ultimately decide whether to read or play all or part of the statement in court, and who will read it.
Your preference should be taken into account, unless there is a good reason not to follow it. If you initially say you want it read aloud and later change your mind, you can do so. Importantly, your statement is still considered at sentencing whether or not it is read aloud in court.
Can I tell the judge what sentence I want?
A Victim Personal Statement is not intended to tell the court what punishment you believe the offender should receive. Sentencing is a decision for the court. Your role is to explain the impact.
The judge or magistrates then consider that information alongside the law, sentencing guidelines and other circumstances of the case.
Can someone help me write it?
Yes. You can ask the police, Witness Care Unit or a victim support service for help preparing your statement. You don't need complicated legal language or the perfect words. What matters is explaining, in your own words, how the crime has affected you.
What matters is that your statement reflects your experience and the impact the crime has had on you.
What if I don’t want to make one?
That is entirely your choice. You should not be pressured into making a Victim Personal Statement.
Choosing not to make one should not be held against you, and the court should not assume the impact of the crime simply because you have decided not to provide a statement. Your experience does not become any less significant because you choose not to put it into words.
Know your rights
A Victim Personal Statement is your choice.
You do not have to minimise what happened. You do not have to make it sound more dramatic. You do not have to find the perfect words. You describe the impact of the crime, and your experience does not need to be justified to deserve recognition.
Your evidence tells the court what happened. Your Victim Personal Statement helps it understand what happened next.
England and Wales. Information checked November 2026.
This is general information, not legal advice.
