Being Arrested: Your Rights: When You're Arrested - GOV.UK

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1. Home
2. Crime, justice and law
3. Your rights and the law

Being arrested: your rights Skip contents

Contents

1. When you're arrested
2. Your rights in custody
3. How long you can be held in custody
4. Giving fingerprints, photographs and samples
5. Legal advice at the police station
6. Complaining about your treatment by the police

When you're arrested

If you’re arrested, you’ll usually be taken to a police station, held in custody in a cell and then questioned.

After you’ve been taken to a police station, you may be released or charged with a crime.

The law on being arrested is different in Scotland, different in Northern Ireland, or if you’re arrested abroad.

If you’re under 18 or a vulnerable adult

The police must find an ‘appropriate adult’ to protect your interests, rights and welfare. This includes helping you communicate, making sure you understand your rights, and checking that the police are acting fairly and respecting your rights. They cannot give you legal advice or answer questions on your behalf.

You can speak privately to your appropriate adult at any time.

You can decide whether to have your appropriate adult with you when you speak to a legal adviser.

Read more about what an appropriate adult does.

If you’re under 18

Your appropriate adult can be:

• your parent, guardian or carer
• a social worker
• another family member or friend aged 18 or over
• a member of a local scheme of trained appropriate adults

The police must also try to contact your parent, guardian or carer to let them know where you are, even if they’re not your appropriate adult.

If you’re a vulnerable adult

Your appropriate adult can be:

• a relative, guardian or someone responsible for your care
• someone who’s experienced or trained in your care
• a member of a local scheme of trained appropriate adults

Next:Your rights in custody View a printable version of the whole guide

Related content

• Being charged with a crime
• Police powers of arrest: your rights
• Police powers to stop and search: your rights

Explore the topic

• Penalties, sentences and police

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