This hub brings together every Safety App UK guide on the law, your rights and how to report a crime. Pick your situation below: domestic abuse and stalking, reporting a crime, or self-defence and the police. The law differs between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so each guide says which nation it covers.
Updated 19 October 2026 · Each linked guide lists its own official sources (legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK, CPS, police.uk, NHS and named charities) and the date it was checked · Next review: January 2027
If you or someone else is in danger, or a crime is happening now, call 999. If you can’t speak, stay on the line and, on a mobile, press 55 when asked (see silent 999 calls). Deaf or speech-impaired? Register to text 999 before you need it.
Find the right guide
Domestic abuse, harassment and stalking: where do I start?
Start with a helpline: they are free, confidential and can talk you through your options, including the legal ones. If you want to know about a partner’s past, look at Clare’s Law. If you need the abuse to stop, the guides on protection orders and non-molestation orders explain who applies, which court and what happens on a breach.
How do I report a crime in the UK?
Call 999 if someone is in danger or a crime is happening now. For a crime that has already happened, call 101 or report online: police.uk in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Police Scotland’s website. Fraud, anonymous tips and anti-social behaviour have their own routes, explained in the guides below.
What does the law say about self-defence and the police?
In England and Wales you may use reasonable force to protect yourself or others, judged on the situation as you honestly believed it to be. Pepper spray is a prohibited weapon, and carrying anything made or adapted as a weapon in public without a lawful excuse is an offence. These guides explain the limits, what you can carry instead and your rights when the police stop you.
Is the law the same in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Not always. England and Wales share one legal system; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own laws, courts and police forces. 999 and 101 work everywhere, but protection orders, some offences and reporting routes differ. The table summarises the differences covered in our guides; each guide has the full detail.
▲ as described in our main guides · ▬ similar, different law or route · ▼ different. Summarised from the linked guides, each checked against official sources on its publication date.
Frequently asked questions
No. They are general information based on official sources such as legislation.gov.uk, GOV.UK, the CPS and police.uk. For your own situation, speak to a solicitor, Citizens Advice or one of the helplines listed in the guides.
You can still report it: the police decide whether it is a crime. If no one is in danger, call 101 or report online. Our guide to where to report a crime lists the right route for each type.
General information for the UK, not legal advice. Laws change: check GOV.UK or a solicitor for your situation. In an emergency, always call 999.
Keep reading
Know your rights, and keep your people close
Safety App UK lets you share your live location with a trusted circle you choose and get Safe Zone alerts when someone arrives or leaves. An SOS by button or shake, or automatically in higher-crime zones, sends your live location and live video to your circle. The live safety map, built from police data and community reports, shows police stations and Ask for Angela venues and helps you plan safer routes. It does not call the emergency services, so in an emergency always call 999 first. Free for 7 days, then £2.99 a month. For ages 16+.