If the police have contacted you inviting you to attend a voluntary interview under caution, this is a serious matter that requires immediate legal advice. A voluntary interview carries the same legal weight as an interview following arrest. Anything you say can be used as evidence against you in court. At Woolfe & Co Solicitors, our free Legal Aid voluntary police interview solicitors provide expert representation at no cost to you. There is no means test and no eligibility requirement. Your right to a solicitor for a voluntary interview is absolute and unconditional.
The term "voluntary" can be misleading. You are not under arrest, but you are being interviewed under caution for a criminal offence. The outcome can result in a charge, a caution, or no further action. Having a specialist criminal solicitor beside you often makes the difference between these outcomes. Call 01582 380938 as soon as you receive an invitation to a voluntary interview.
A voluntary police interview, sometimes called a "voluntary attendance" or "caution plus 3 interview", is where the police invite you to attend a police station for questioning under caution without placing you under arrest. It is called "voluntary" because you are not in custody and are free to leave at any time. However, the caution that is administered carries the same legal significance as in an arrest interview: anything you say may be used as evidence in court. The outcome can include being charged with a criminal offence.
Despite being called "voluntary", this interview forms part of a formal criminal investigation. The police are gathering evidence. The Crown Prosecution Service can use your answers to support a charging decision. This is not an informal chat.
The interview is audio recorded and can be transcribed for use as evidence in court. If your case proceeds to trial, the prosecution can, and often will, play your interview to the jury. Your words can be scrutinised months or even years later.
Unlike an arrest, you can agree a mutually convenient date and time for a voluntary interview. This allows you to arrange legal representation in advance. Never attend before your solicitor is available to accompany you.
Because you are not under arrest, you can leave the police station at any time during a voluntary interview. However, leaving may lead to the police arresting you so the interview can continue. Your solicitor advises on this.
Following a voluntary interview, the police can release you under investigation, grant bail, issue a caution, issue a community resolution, or charge you with a criminal offence and summon you to court. All of these have consequences.
You have the same right to free Legal Aid representation at a voluntary interview as you do following an arrest. No means test applies. Our police station solicitors attend all voluntary interviews free of charge.
Understanding your rights at a voluntary interview is essential. Many people attend voluntary interviews without realising what protections they have, and without a solicitor, they may waive those protections inadvertently. Our voluntary police interview solicitors ensure you benefit from every legal right available to you.
From the moment you receive the invitation to attend a voluntary interview, our criminal defence solicitors take control of the process. Here is how we protect your position at every stage.
Before the interview date, you meet your solicitor in private. We discuss the allegations, take your detailed instructions, explain the law and the likely police questions, and advise on interview strategy. We may decide a prepared statement is appropriate, which we draft carefully to present your account while protecting you from unexpected questions. This preparation is the foundation of effective voluntary interview representation.
At the police station, your solicitor requests disclosure from the interviewing officer about the nature and extent of the allegations, and any evidence the police hold. While the police are not required to disclose everything, PACE Code C requires them to provide sufficient information for you to understand the nature of the alleged offence and the reasons for the interview. Your solicitor challenges insufficient disclosure.
Your solicitor sits beside you throughout the interview. We listen to every question, intervene if questions are improper or oppressive, clarify your answers where needed, and advise you during breaks. If a prepared statement has been given, we ensure the police adhere to it. Our presence ensures the interview is conducted fairly and lawfully under PACE Code C.
After the interview, your solicitor continues to act for you. We make representations to the police about the disposal of the case, including whether you should be charged, cautioned, or face no further action. If you are released under investigation, we continue to advise you and engage with the police. If the case proceeds to the Magistrates Court or Crown Court, we continue to represent you through Legal Aid where you qualify. See our criminal case solicitor services.
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including weekends and bank holidays
It can be tempting to think that because the interview is "voluntary" and you have done nothing wrong, you can attend alone, explain your side of the story, and return home without consequences. This is a dangerous misconception. In our 30 plus years of combined experience as specialist criminal defence lawyers, we have seen countless cases where well-meaning individuals have inadvertently damaged their defence by attending without a solicitor.
Remember: the police are trained interviewers. They conduct interviews every day. They know how to ask questions in a particular order to build a case. You are at a significant disadvantage without a specialist criminal solicitor beside you. Read our guide on what to do if the police are looking for you.
When the police invite you to a voluntary interview, the solicitor you choose can directly affect the outcome. Here is why individuals across England and Wales trust Woolfe & Co Solicitors for free Legal Aid voluntary police interview representation.
Our solicitors have attended thousands of police interviews, both voluntary and post-arrest. We know police interview tactics, PACE Codes of Practice, and how to protect your position. Explore our criminal defence services.
We work around your availability and the police timetable to arrange an interview date that allows for thorough preparation. We are available 24/7 to take your call and begin work on your case immediately.
We attend voluntary interviews at police stations across the whole of England and Wales. Distance is never a barrier to receiving expert representation. See our full coverage area.
Unlike duty solicitors who may meet you minutes before the interview, we prepare thoroughly in advance. We take detailed instructions, review disclosure, and prepare your interview strategy well before the interview date.
The same firm that represents you at the voluntary interview can continue to represent you at the Magistrates Court, Crown Court, or on appeal. No handover, no unfamiliar lawyer.
We explain the process, the allegations, the evidence, your options, and our advice in plain English. No confusing legal jargon, no hidden costs, and no surprises. You will know exactly what to expect at every stage.
If the police have invited you to a voluntary interview under caution, do not attend alone. Your right to free Legal Aid representation is absolute and unconditional. One call to 01582 380938 puts a specialist criminal defence solicitor on your side. The interview is too important to face without expert legal representation.
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including weekends and bank holidays