If you are at all concerned about the safety and wellbeing of the person who has disappeared, you should contact the police straight away.

When someone close to you goes missing there could be any number of reasons why he or she has disappeared. The person who has gone missing may be fine but just out of touch and you simply don’t know where they are. On the other hand they could be lost, or they may have intended to go missing because they could no longer cope with personal issues. In rare cases they may have been abducted or be the victim of some other crime.

As the circumstances surrounding a disappearance can differ so much, so the role of the police can differ, and it is difficult to know what to expect, what questions to ask, or whether, and how, you should help in the search. In the following factsheets you will find information on reporting someone missing to the police, what you can expect of them and what you can do to help.

 When and How do you Report Someone Missing? (93.98 kB)

 Checklist for your Meeting with the Police (83.53 kB)

 What Happens After you have Reported Someone Missing? (94.5 kB)

 How do I Make a Complaint Against the Police? (92.42 kB)

 The National Policing Improvement Agency also provides a series of factsheets relating to various aspects of a person going missing. This guidance can be accessed here.