Consular assistance

Few people require consular assistance more urgently than those who are arrested and face prosecution in a foreign country. For our clients, consular assistance is literally a lifeline, helping them to maintain contact with their families, secure appropriate legal representation and translation, and understand the local legal system. Consular assistance can also be vital in protecting the fundamental human rights of detainees, such as the right to a fair trial and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment.

While many consular representatives provide excellent support in difficult circumstances, the experiences of our clients raise some serious concerns about the provision of consular services to this vulnerable group. We are campaigning for reform of the following key areas, with a particular focus on provision of consular assistance by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO):

• Access

  UK citizens currently have no right to consular assistance, even in desperate circumstances. Access to consular services can be a lottery, and the odds are often worst when the stakes are highest. For example, visits to prisoners in more remote areas eat into limited resources, even though these prisoners are often at greatest risk of mistreatment. We want to see better guarantees available to vulnerable citizens who rely on consular assistance, especially in situations where no-one else is able to help.

• Consistency

  Although the FCO has published a guide to the services that can and cannot be provided, decisions on the level of assistance provided in individual cases is discretionary, and there are no clear standards that underpin service delivery, leading to inconsistent provision of services throughout the world. We want vulnerable citizens to be able to rely on the same level of service – no matter where they are in the world – and for service standards to be transparent so that decisions can be more easily understood and expectations managed more effectively.

• Customer focus

  Over the last few years public services reform has recognised the importance of making services more personal and customer-focused. This is especially important when dealing with people in distressing situations. We applaud the dedicated consular officers who strive to provide the best service and care possible, but the experience of our clients shows that more can be done to embed a customer-focused culture throughout the FCO. We want all prisoners and their families to receive the compassionate and caring service that many already receive.

• Sustainable and appropriate funding

  Demand for consular assistance is increasing - British people making 68.4 million overseas trips every year, and there are over 6000 cases a year of British nationals detained overseas. At the same time, resources are being stretched by changes affecting the funding model. The introduction of ID cards looks set to drastically reduce resources, and raises questions about the sustainability of the consular premium funding model. We believe that the current funding model needs urgent review, to ensure that resources for consular services are sustainable and that that adequate assistance is available to all those who need it.

For more information, or to share your experiences of consular assistance, please contact