The Victims and Courts Act 2026: Key Changes for Survivors

The Victims and Courts Act 2026 officially came into law on April 29, marking a historic shift in the UK justice system. Supported by a £550 million investment in specialist victim services and the Victims' Code, this legislation ensures that victims’ needs, voices, and safety are placed exactly where they belong: at the heart of our courts.

For women fleeing domestic abuse and dealing with the aftermath of trauma, these five key provisions introduce vital protections:

1. Compelled Sentencing Attendance

Cowardly offenders can no longer choose to hide in their cells to avoid facing their victims. Courts now have the explicit power to increase prison sentences for criminals who refuse to attend their sentencing hearings, ensuring grieving families and survivors see justice fully delivered.

2. Enhanced Victims' Rights & NDA Bans

The Act strengthens the powers of the Victims’ Commissioner to hold the justice system accountable. Crucially for survivors, it ensures Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) can no longer be used to silence victims or prevent them from speaking out about criminal conduct to anyone.

3. Automatic Parental Responsibility Restrictions

In a massive victory for child protection and family law, the Act introduces automatic restrictions on parental responsibility.

What this means in practice: If a child is born as a result of rape, or if a parent is sentenced for serious child sexual abuse, their parental rights are automatically suspended at the point of sentencing. Protective mothers will no longer be forced to endure protracted, exhausting family court battles just to stop a perpetrator from interfering in school or medical decisions.

4. More Time for Unduly Lenient Sentence Reviews

Survivors and their families will now have more time than ever before to challenge sentences they feel do not fit the gravity of the crime, providing a fairer window to appeal lenient decisions.

5. Seamless Information Access

Victims are given improved, transparent rights to receive timely updates regarding an offender's release date, alongside free access to transcripts of the judge's sentencing remarks.

Looking Ahead

The Victims and Courts Act 2026 represents a major step toward dismantling systemic barriers that have historically left survivors feeling like an afterthought. Alongside the Crime and Policing Act 2026, these concurrent legal overhauls provide a much stronger framework for front-line professionals to protect women and girls across our communities.