Your rights if you are arrested
If you are arrested ask for a free solicitor straight away.
- Ask for a solicitor. It is free.
- Ask for someone to be told where you are. This can be a friend or relative.
- Ask to see the Codes of Practice. These are the rules the police must follow.
- Ask for these requests to be written down in the custody record.
- The duty solicitor is not the same as the police. They work for you.
- You do not have to answer police questions.
- But there can be consequences if you do not answer.
- You can speak to a solicitor privately at any time.
- If you are under 18 or vulnerable you must have an appropriate adult.
- You can talk to your appropriate adult privately at any time.
This is the short and simple version.
The full page has more detail. It also shows the law each point comes from.
Checked 2026-08-26. This is information, not legal advice.