The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has given a £100,000 grant to Victim Support to help families of Britons murdered abroad.
It said nearly 6,000 Britons die abroad every year, 60 of whom are the victims of murder or manslaughter.
In conjunction with Victim Support, the FCO has also issued a new Consular guide to spell out the support it can offer to Britons when these go wrong during a foreign trip.
The guide, Support for British Nationals Abroad includes:
- For the first time a written Customer Charter which sets out the FCO’s commitments
- Clearer and updated information for those affected by a crisis abroad
- Clearer information on how the FCO can assist people with mental health problems
- Clearer explanations of why the FCO cannot help in certain situations
The Foreign Office said it is working with Victim Support National Homicide Service to ensure that families get the practical support they need to cope with the trauma, complications and costs when a British national is murdered abroad.
It said that a £100,000 grant would enable Victim Support to commission services on behalf of bereaved families, if needed. This will enable them to expand the range of services they can provide to bereaved families such as travel costs, translation and interpreting services and repatriation costs, it said.
Minister for consular affairs Jeremy Browne said: “Dealing with the death of a family member who has been murdered abroad can be an extremely traumatic experience. I have met the families of victims and decided that the FCO could improve its service to help people in these terrible circumstances.
"I am pleased to announce that we are now providing more practical and emotional support for families bereaved by a murder abroad and are working closely with Victim Support’s National Homicide Service to improve the assistance available.”
Chief executive of Victim Support Javed Khan said: “We know through our homicide service the devastating impact that losing a loved one through murder or manslaughter has. In cases where the death has occurred in a foreign country, the bereaved not only face coming to terms with losing a loved one, but navigating their way through a different legal system. In common with deaths in the UK, the families also require emotional and practical support.
"This can include assistance with bringing their loved one home, financial assistance, translation of documents and travel to the country to attend the trial. We are pleased to be working with the Foreign Office so we can do more to ensure those bereaved by a murder abroad get the help and support they need.”
The new Consular guide can be downloaded from: www.fco.gov.uk/travel
