Getting assistance from the United Kingdom

Here are some basic guidelines and contact information for those needing assistance from the UK.

Mutal legal assistance guidelines

If you have questions about how to make a request to any part of the UK, read the mutual legal assistance guidelines

There is also a search warrant template that you can use to request a search being carried out in England and Wales. 

Where to send your request

Judicial authorities, prosecuting authorities and central authorities may send requests directly to one of these authorities:

For assistance in England and Wales and Northern Ireland

UK Central Authority
5th Floor Fry Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Telephone: +44 20 7035 4040
Fax: +44 20 7035 6985

We are currently experiencing a high number of calls for the UK Border Agency (UKBA).  Contact details for UKBA can be found at the following link: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/contact/

This includes MLA requests for customs matters relating to the smuggling of drugs; firearms and offensive weapons; chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazards; products of animal origin; plant health; cash at the border and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The UKCA will also receive MLA requests for the whole of the UK if this is stated in a treaty under which a request is made.

For assistance in Scotland

International Co-operation Unit
Crown Office
25 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LA

Tel: +44 131 243 8152
Fax: +44 131 243 8153

Revenue and customs matters

Mutal legal assistance matters for England, Wales and Northern Ireland relating to certain fiscal matters, such as the smuggling of tobacco and alcohol, intellectual property rights, strategic exports and indirect taxes (including VAT missing trader intra-community fraud) and related money-laundering, should be sent to HM Revenue & Customs at the address provided below.

HM Revenue & Customs
Mutual Legal Assistance
Room 2/74
100 Parliament Street
London SW1A 2BQ

Urgent mutual legal assistance requests can be faxed to +44 20 7147 0433

For assistance with these matters, email the MLA team at HM Revenue and Customs or call +44 20 7147 3843/3277

Service of judgments and process

Requests for service of judgments and process for England and Wales and Northern Ireland (including those related to revenue and customs matters) should be sent to the UK Central Authority. Requests for service in Scotland should be sent to the Crown Office.