A CARE service upgrade, costing £1.8 million, to help victims of crime in Hampshire will come into effect next month.

The three-year contract was awarded to Victim Support after the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Hayes sought expressions of interest.

Mr Hayes said he wanted to provide a localised service, rather than having operations based in Surrey.

The Victim Care Service (VCS) will provide primary and secondary response teams based in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and “initial response officers” will act as the first point of contact.

Mr Hayes said: “The new VCS will provide local support for local services.

“It will be linked into local services such as Hampshire County Council’s Buy with Confidence scheme, ensuring that victims get the best quality service and support from the best possible agency for as long as that support is required.

“The service will be at the centre of, and the gateway to, a range of specialist voluntary organisations whose primary purpose is to support vulnerable groups.”

Steve Mote, Victim Support divisional manager for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, said: “This contract gives us the opportunity to provide a more enhanced service to victims and to reach out to many more people than we have been able to in the past.”