Benefits paid to rapists and killers detained in hospitals should be redirected to victim services, campaigners and organisations have said.
A bill announced in Parliament would end payments of up to £800 a month to criminals detained in hospitals following campaigning by victims and families.
Emma Webber, whose son Barnaby was one of the victims of the Nottingham attacks carried out by Valdo Calocane, proposed to Angela Rayner that saved money should support victim services, BBC Breakfast reported.
Calocane is currently detained in a hospital after being convicted of three counts of manslaughter. He is among criminals who will no longer receive the payments.
Several services support people affected by crime in Worcestershire, including The Survivor Pathway, which receives funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office.
READ MORE: CCTV images of 3 masked suspects released after burglary at city petrol station
Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said: “It’s a scandal that, in 2026, services supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our society continue to face funding pressures while demand keeps rising.
“I regularly hear from victims and their families about the lasting impact crime has had on their lives, yet too often the support available is stretched to its limits.
John Campion, West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner (Image: Newsquest)
“If we are serious about putting victims first, we must match those words with investment. Any money generated through this change should be reinvested into the services victims rely on to cope, recover and rebuild their lives.”
READ MORE: Man found guilty of strangling woman and making threats to kill
The calls were also supported by Jocelyn Anderson, CEO of West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre.
She said: “WMRSASC would welcome any additional funding being directed towards victim support services.
“Specialist services across the Country are woefully underfunded despite the increasing demand for support and the complexity of the needs of those accessing it.
“Additional investment would help us reduce lengthy waiting times, increase access to specialist counselling, and ensure that victims and survivors receive the support they need when they need it, rather than facing months of uncertainty.”
Jocelyn Anderson, CEO of the West Mercia Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre (Image: West Mercia Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Centre)
Ms Anderson also called for the existing funding promised to support victims’ services by the courts to be recovered.
READ MORE: Police launch appeal as two children injured after being hit by car
She said: “In September 2025, the Victims Commissioner reported that £181 million of Victim Surcharge payments remain outstanding.
“The Victim Surcharge was specifically introduced to ensure that offenders contribute towards the cost of supporting victims, yet significant sums remain uncollected.
“It is difficult to reconcile the chronic underfunding of victim services with money that is already owed for that very purpose not being recovered.”
