With the police right now?
The law is different in Scotland. Pick where you are.
In Northern Ireland? This site does not cover Northern Ireland law. Two UK-wide powers apply there too: Schedule 7 at ports and airports and phone passwords.
If you are with the police right now
- Ask for a solicitor, at any hour. In England and Wales, if you are arrested you are entitled to free independent legal advice at the police station. In a narrow set of defined cases the police can delay your access to it, but the entitlement itself stands. In Scotland, if you are in police custody you have the right to a private consultation with a solicitor at any time. No police officer should try to talk you out of asking.
- Ask which power they are using, and what they are looking for.
- At a port or airport, Schedule 7 questioning is different — there you are legally required to answer, and refusing is an offence.
- Driving? You must stop, and the registered keeper must say who was driving.