Mayor funds new £5.4million service to ensure vulnerable adults are properly safeguarded when in contact with police
- New £5.4million service funded by Sadiq will ensure that vulnerable adults across London have quick access to an independent appropriate adult to support them when in contact with the police.
- The first-ever London wide scheme will safeguard the rights, entitlements, and welfare of vulnerable adults for police processes including voluntary interviews and eye-witness testimonies.
- The new approach is part of a package of measures from City Hall to support the Met to improve the service it delivers for all Londoners, building on their hard work to exit special measures.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched a new £5.4miliion service to ensure vulnerable adults in contact with the police, including those taking part in voluntary police interviews, have timely access to an independent appropriate adult to support them.
The first-ever London wide scheme will safeguard the rights, entitlements and welfare of vulnerable adults, ensuring that they are treated in a fair and just manner, and are able to participate in police proceedings effectively.
The new approach is part a package of measures being funded by the Mayor to improve the service all Londoners receive from the police. It builds on the hard work of the Met to exit special measures and to respond to Baroness Casey’s review into the standards and culture at the Met Police.
In the UK, it’s a legal requirement for any child or any adult assessed as vulnerable to have an independent appropriate adult with them in any police interview[1], but until now, in London, no single agency has been responsible for providing this support, leading to inconsistency and gaps in provision, costly delays and pressure on resources. The new service will complement the work underway by the Met and the Mayor’s office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) to address Baroness Casey’s recommendations to increase confidence, trust and fairness amongst Londoners through the Commissioner’s New Met for London Plan[2].
The action by the Mayor also comes as figures show demand for appropriate adults increased by 10 per cent between 2019 and 2023 when more than 18,500 adults experiencing police custody or taking part in voluntary interviews with the police were assessed as vulnerable and requiring support to ensure their rights were safeguarded[3].
A person is considered vulnerable if a police officer deems that they may be prone to confusion, compliance or could unintentionally provide unreliable, misleading, or self-incriminating information. The new service will ensure that all those considered vulnerable are appropriately safeguarded and instil within them the trust and confidence that they will be treated fairly by the judicial system.
Adults with mental health issues and those with learning difficulties are just some of those who will benefit from the London-wide scheme and be assigned an appropriate adult to support them through a number of police processes - including during searches, interviews and eyewitness identification procedures[4].
The new £5.4miliion fund is the latest part of the Mayor’s record investment in the Met to raise standards, improve performance and help rebuild the trust and confidence of all of London’s communities in the Met police service.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Providing eye-witness statements and giving voluntary police interviews can be an extremely stressful time for anyone, so it is vital that the right support is available for those who are vulnerable and need assistance to help them understand their situation and ensure they are treated fairly and appropriately.
“My new London-wide appropriate adult scheme will guarantee timely access to the right support, reducing delays in custody which can have huge emotional, practical as well as financial cost.
“The service will also ensure that those from vulnerable communities have the confidence that they will be treated fairly, be believed, and can ultimately trust our policing and judicial system, which is vital to building a safer, fairer London for everyone.”
Geraldine Evans, Director of AAUK, said: "Our role as Appropriate Adults is essential in safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of vulnerable individuals. This partnership ensures they receive the necessary support to successfully navigate the complexities of the criminal justice system.
“The initiative underscores the shared commitment of MOPAC, MPS, and AAUK to uphold the rights of vulnerable individuals, promoting a standardised approach to service delivery, and guaranteeing that all vulnerable adults receive equal levels of professional care and support.”
Chris Bath, Chief Executive at National Appropriate Adult Network (NAAN), said: “Across the country, the lack of a legal duty to provide appropriate adults for vulnerable adults in police custody continues to undermine fairness and justice—a national issue left unaddressed for over 40 years.
“This inspiring example of local leadership will enhance police efficiency while ensuring vulnerable Londoners have access to high-quality, independent support to protect their rights and welfare.”
Alex Hawkins, CEO of The Appropriate Adult Service Ltd, said: “The Appropriate Adult Service (TAAS) is delighted to be working with MOPAC to provide essential support for vulnerable adults in police custody across London. MOPAC’s leadership in ensuring the provision of appropriate adults for vulnerable individuals marks a significant step forward.
“By working in partnership with The National Appropriate Adult Network and key figures within the criminal justice system, they are strengthening the campaign to secure statutory protection for all vulnerable adults.”
Notes to editors
[1] The role of the appropriate adult is to safeguard the interests, rights, entitlements and welfare of children and vulnerable people, ensuring that they are treated in a fair and just manner, and are able to participate in police proceedings effectively.
[2] The new service will complement the major programme of work underway by the Met and the Mayor’s office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) to address Baroness Casey’s recommendations to increase confidence, trust and fairness amongst Londoners through the Commissioner’s New Met for London Plan https://www.met.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/media/downloads/met/about-us/baroness-casey-review/update-march-2023/baroness-casey-review-march-2023a.pdf
[3] Demand for appropriate adults increased by 9.8 percent in 2022/23 since 2019/20 with over 18,511 adults who have been in police custody and taken part in voluntary interviews with the police being assessed as vulnerable and requiring support to ensure their rights are safeguarded.
[4] Vulnerable adults should have timely access to their Appropriate Adult throughout a detention episode. Appropriate adults should be available for the following procedures (not all procedures will take place in every case):
- Booking a person into custody
- Searches
- Samples
- Fingerprints
- Eyewitness identification procedures
- Private consultations
- Legal consultations
- Translation
- Interviews
- Drug tests for certain class A drugs
- Reviews and extensions
- Charging
- Bail
- Disposals
The Mayor of London has put the Met on the path of far reaching systemic and cultural reform. His focus on improving policing in London led to the appointment of a new Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, the Baroness Casey Review and Sadiq is fully committed to turning the recommendations of the Baroness Casey review into long-lasting and meaningful change. As Mayor, Sadiq has delivered a package of measures to support the Met to exit Special Measures/Engage as quickly as possible and to accelerate the root and branch reforms and systemic change to the Met’s performance and culture. This includes directly funding nearly £15 million per year for the Met's Leadership Academy to support all Met leaders and line managers to raise standards across the Met Police Service. This is on top of £3 million funding each year from City Hall to improve the service all victims of crime receive when they call the police. In January 2025, His Majesty’s Inspectorate confirmed that significant improvements were being made by the Met Police on both improved performance and transforming culture which had led to the force exiting Special Measures/Engage. https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/news/news-feed/metropolitan-police-service-removed-from-enhanced-monitoring/
The new London wide Appropriate Adults Scheme has been set up by the Mayor’s office for Policing and Crime, integrating existing local schemes to work together. This includes The Appropriate Adult Service supporting vulnerable people in Central and West London, Appropriate Adults UK for covering in North, East and South London and the London Borough of Southwark supporting vulnerable adults across Southwark and Lambeth.
- The Appropriate Adult Service Ltd. has been providing their services since 2001 and has established themselves as a leading supplier of Appropriate Adult Services, advocating all day and night for Children and Vulnerable Adults across the UK. https://www.theappropriateadultservice.org.uk/
- Appropriate Adults UK provide support to juveniles and vulnerable adults held under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) Codes of Practice for the Detention Treatment and Questioning of Persons by Police Officers or being interviewed by any statutory organisation. They work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, serving the police stations throughout London & the UK. https://www.appropriateadults.co.uk/
- London Borough of Southwark’s Appropriate Adult Service is a volunteer-driven initiative that ensures those in police custody are treated with the care and respect they deserve. This service has expanded to Lambeth, covering the entire Basic Command Unit.
Since 2019, the MPS, MOPAC and NHSE Health and Justice London have provided funding to local authorities for the commissioning of Appropriate Adult provision for vulnerable adults locally, otherwise known as the Appropriate Adult Funded Scheme (AAFS), which local authorities have match or in kind funded. This new centralized approached replaces this scheme and is now solely funded by the Mayor of London.
- The role of the appropriate adult is to safeguard the interests, rights, entitlements and welfare of vulnerable people who are suspected of a criminal offence, ensuring that they are treated in a fair and just manner, and are able to participate effectively. This applies to all children and adults who are assessed as vulnerable. An AA may be a family member or friend OR they can be identified via trained AA services which are either volunteers or paid workers.
- This centralised service is specifically for vulnerable adults to address inconsistencies across London. Children’s provision is commissioned by each local authority.
- A person is vulnerable (under PACE) if a police officer has any reason to suspect the person may:
- Have difficulty understanding the full implications or communicating effectively about anything to do with their detention.
- Have difficulty understanding the significance or things they are told, questions, or their own answers.
- May be prone to confusion, suggestibility, or compliance.
- May be prone to providing unintentionally unreliable, misleading or self-incriminating information.
Relevant conditions include (but are not limited to):
-
- Mental illness
- Learning disabilities
- Autism
- Brain injury.
The requirement for an Appropriate Adult still applies if:
-
- There is no formal medical diagnosis or opinion from a healthcare professional.
- It is a minor offence.
- It is a terrorism offence.
- There is a legal advisor present.
- The person says they do not want an appropriate adult.
- As Mayor, Sadiq has provided a record increase in police funding from City Hall, directly putting 1,300 extra police officers on the streets. This financial year alone, the Mayor has put in a record £151m to bolster policing and crime prevention in London. Since 2016, he’s doubled the funding the MPS receives from City Hall, taking it from 19 per cent of the Met’s total budget, to 25 per cent. Enabled by this record funding, the MPS is spending nearly £480 million between 2023-24 and 2025-26 to address issues identified in the Engage process.