An Introduction to "Cuckooing" (Home Takeover)
4th March 2026
10am and 11:30pm free taster sessions on MSTeams
Facilitated by Lin Sands
4th March 2026
10am and 11:30pm free taster sessions on MSTeams
Facilitated by Lin Sands
We are offering free taster sessions of the course below on 4th March 2026 on MS Teams with Lin Sands.
These will be offered on a first come, first served basis. To register your place, see the bottom of this page.
Sessions will be 10.00am – 11.00am and 11.30am – 12.30pm.
These will be offered on a first come, first served basis. To register your place, see the bottom of this page.
Sessions will be 10.00am – 11.00am and 11.30am – 12.30pm.
What is ‘Cuckooing’?
“Cuckooing” is abuse, when individuals/criminals take over the home, or part of a home, of a “vulnerable” person. In its most basic form, it is ‘material abuse’ and frequently includes other forms of abuse and exploitation.
Research indicates that the people at greater risk include: young care leavers; adults who have existing long/short-term care and support needs; individuals with substance/alcohol dependence; people whose additional ‘vulnerabilities’, e.g. current/past trauma, impact on their ability to recognise they are being ‘abused’ and/or their ability to protect themselves from it.
Those who ‘cuckoo’ someone’s home will use a range of methods to coerce and manipulate to gain free accommodation, and/or to conduct illegal activities including drug dealing, fraud/financial abuse, modern slavery and/or trafficking.
When people have been cuckooed, it often leaves them and their family members feeling powerless to intervene. Additional challenges arise when a person is over 18 years of age and has the mental capacity to make decisions regarding with whom they ‘choose’ to live with and/or ‘allow’ to stay in their home. Historically, the most proactive action has been via the use of the Anti-Social Behaviour or Housing legislation, however, this is not always a big enough deterrent or solution and can lead to the victim being blamed, evicted or criminalised rather than the perpetrator being held to account.
Improving how we tackle cuckooing
The UK government is introducing a standalone criminal offence as part of the Crime and Policing Bill 2025 for ‘cuckooing’:
A person commits the offence if:
This proposed new offence with a maximum prison sentence of up to 5 years, will:
“Cuckooing” is abuse, when individuals/criminals take over the home, or part of a home, of a “vulnerable” person. In its most basic form, it is ‘material abuse’ and frequently includes other forms of abuse and exploitation.
Research indicates that the people at greater risk include: young care leavers; adults who have existing long/short-term care and support needs; individuals with substance/alcohol dependence; people whose additional ‘vulnerabilities’, e.g. current/past trauma, impact on their ability to recognise they are being ‘abused’ and/or their ability to protect themselves from it.
Those who ‘cuckoo’ someone’s home will use a range of methods to coerce and manipulate to gain free accommodation, and/or to conduct illegal activities including drug dealing, fraud/financial abuse, modern slavery and/or trafficking.
When people have been cuckooed, it often leaves them and their family members feeling powerless to intervene. Additional challenges arise when a person is over 18 years of age and has the mental capacity to make decisions regarding with whom they ‘choose’ to live with and/or ‘allow’ to stay in their home. Historically, the most proactive action has been via the use of the Anti-Social Behaviour or Housing legislation, however, this is not always a big enough deterrent or solution and can lead to the victim being blamed, evicted or criminalised rather than the perpetrator being held to account.
Improving how we tackle cuckooing
The UK government is introducing a standalone criminal offence as part of the Crime and Policing Bill 2025 for ‘cuckooing’:
A person commits the offence if:
- They exercise control over another person's dwelling,
- Use it for criminal purposes, and
- The resident does not consent to this control
This proposed new offence with a maximum prison sentence of up to 5 years, will:
- Recognise the unique and complex nature of cuckooing
- Shift the focus from treating victims as complicit to acknowledging the abuse and exploitation
- Improve safeguarding responses as a result of increased legal clarity and the ability to act effectively
Who is the course for?
It is relevant to all community safety and safeguarding partners who work with individuals who are at greater risk of cuckooing.
The full course will enable delegates to:
It is relevant to all community safety and safeguarding partners who work with individuals who are at greater risk of cuckooing.
The full course will enable delegates to:
- Understand the legal framework and social dynamics surrounding ‘Cuckooing’ and the inter-relationship with safeguarding responsibilities.
- Be confident and ready to align local practice with the new legislation.
- Identify, report, and support victims and potential victims before the situation creates greater challenges and long-term, irretrievable damage.
- Recognise the importance of building networks with safeguarding and community safety partners, who can support effective multi-agency and community-based safeguarding strategies to disrupt and interrupt this form of abuse.
|
About the Trainer
The session will be facilitated by Lin Sands who has over 40 years of experience as a consultant, practitioner and trainer, nationally and internationally. She began her career as a Police Officer and later became a Specialist Detective in Public Protection Teams and served as an Independent Investigator for a joint Home Office/Department of Health. Recently Lin spent 3 years as the Police & Justice Lead for the NWG Network, focusing on modernising and updating their Disruption toolkit to safeguard children and young adults from all forms of exploitation, modern slavery, and human trafficking. Lin specialises in complex safeguarding issues, including domestic abuse, exploitation and modern slavery. |
|