His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) has today issued a report following its inspection of our Victim Communication and Liaison (VCL) letters.

We acknowledge that there has been insufficient improvement in the overall quality of our VCL letters since the last inspection. Whilst there is good performance in some aspects of our communication - including improvements in tone and empathy, progress has not been sufficient in the areas that matter most to victims: providing clear explanations of our legal decisions and delivering a consistently high standard of service.

We recognise the impact this has on victims, getting this right is essential to ensuring victims feel informed and supported by the CPS.

We accept the findings and recommendation in full. They demonstrate a clear need for the CPS to strengthen performance in a number of key areas. We are taking action through our Victims Programme and will use the findings to drive improvement.

Inspectorate's Recommendations

There is one recommendation. The CPS accepts it in full.

Recommendation

By July 2027 the CPS to significantly improve the quality of the legal explanation in their VCLs.

Compliance issue

By December 2026 the CPS to ensure that all letters sent to victims use the current template for VCL letters.