25 October 2002
The National Audit Office has praised the Home Office's victim support scheme for helping 1.4 million people every year.
But, in a report published on October 23, it regrets that the rate at which victims are referred 'varies widely from area to area' and that only a small proportion of the estimated 5.4 million victims of unreported crime each year seek help.
'The Home Office and police should examine the reasons for this wide variation and take action to improve referral rates,' the NAO says.
The Home Office doubled the scheme's funding from £12.7m in 1997/98 to £25m in 2001/02, partly to fund the new witness service in magistrates' courts.
PFoct2002
