In England and Wales, individuals have the legal right to bring a private prosecution if the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) declines to take a case to court.

Rape and Sexual Offenses: Emily Hunt launched the UK’s first crowdfunded private rape prosecution after the CPS dropped her case. She raised over £27,000 to hire a barrister and pursue her attacker privately.

Criminal Cases: Crowdfunding has also been used for other criminal matters, such as the first entirely crowdfunded prosecution for a fatal road accident involving a cyclist.
Dedicated Platforms: Platforms like CrowdJustice specifically help people raise funds for legal fees, including criminal defense and private prosecutions.

Official Police Funding
The government typically funds police through taxation and specific grants, not public donations.

GOV.UK

Government Grants: In 2026, overall police funding in England and Wales reached approximately £21 billion.

Asset Seizures: Some police departments use money seized from criminals to fund financial investigation posts and other specialized roles.
Charitable Support: While police don't crowdfund investigations, organizations like Rape Crisis England & Wales use crowdfunding and matched-giving campaigns to fund support services for survivors and advocate for justice system reforms.

Key Organizations & Resources
CrowdJustice: A platform where individuals can raise money for legal cases.
Rape Crisis England & Wales: Provides support to survivors and campaigns for better conviction rates.

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS): The official body responsible for prosecuting criminal cases in England and Wales.