The cuckoo’s nest

Cuckooing is when the homes of vulnerable people are taken over and used for criminal activities – in the same way that cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. Befriending vulnerable individuals, fear tactics or manipulation may be used by the perpetrators to gain access to a person’s home, often leaving the victims in unsafe situations or displacing them completely. This type of activity is closely linked to county lines drug trafficking, where people are used to supply drugs from major cities to suburban, rural and coastal areas.

The cuckooing outreach service was piloted in partnership with Surrey Police. Part of the impetus was the realisation that once perpetrators had been removed from the property, the vulnerable person was often left alone to get their confidence back and rebuild their life – and that there was a need to support them through this process. By seeing people in their own homes, when it is safe to do so, the team is able to get a clearer picture of what’s going on for them.

The perpetrators will often initially befriend people to obtain entry to their property. Karen, a service manager at Catalyst Support leading the cuckooing outreach team, explains: ‘There’s a stereotype people think of when they imagine cuckooing victims, but it can happen to anyone. It could be your family member or neighbour. Fifteen per cent of our clients have had no history of drug or alcohol use, and perpetrators can be local dealers as well as family members.’

LACK OF AWARENESS
Many people have never heard of cuckooing until it happens to them. ‘I allowed what I thought was my friend into my property to stay,’ says one victim. ‘Never did I consent to them taking over my property and me being a prisoner in my own home. I’ve never felt so scared and powerless. I’d never heard of cuckooing and never thought my so-called friend could be my nightmare.’

Lisa Townsend, Surrey’s police and crime commissioner, sees the lack of awareness around cuckooing manifest itself in victims struggling to self-report: ‘The harm caused to these victims is devastating. Troublingly, most victims of cuckooing will remain hidden, both from police and from agencies poised to help them out of danger, like Catalyst Support’s fantastic cuckooing service.’

Catalyst Support works at raising awareness of cuckooing to make sure that fewer people fall victim and so that neighbours, friends and family can spot the signs. Karen lists some things to look out for in the behaviour of a vulnerable person: ‘They might start talking about a new friend who’s helping them. They might become withdrawn or cancel home visits. Somebody else might start answering their phone. They might appear to be more financially unstable.’

Referrals for cuckooing have come from family members, doctors, neigh­bours, vicars and friends, so it’s important that as many people as possible are aware of this practice, how to spot it and how to report any concerns.

For many years, the lack of awareness around cuckooing extended to the legislation against it, and cuckooing is still not currently recognised as a crime – something that leaves victims feeling unseen and limits opportunities for police intervention. Catalyst Support works to help victims feel valid in their experience. One service user says, ‘You saw me as a victim and made me feel visible. It gave me a way out, it helped me build up my self-worth and improve my quality of life.’

A STANDALONE OFFENCE
There has been tireless campaigning to have cuckooing recognised as a standalone offence. Tatiana Gren-Jordan, former head of the Modern Slavery Policy Unit at The Centre for Social Justice says, ‘In March 2024, 1,284 cuckooed addresses were visited in one week of national intensive police enforcement action on county lines drug dealing. This provided clear evidence that this issue is of national importance.’

Finally, in February 2025 the crime and policing bill included looking at new legislation,  which will mean that cuckooing will finally become a criminal offence in its own right (DDN, March, page 4).

‘Catalyst Support cuckooing team welcomes the first steps to recognising cuckooing as a stand-alone crime,’ says Karen. ‘We hope that making it a criminal offence will make a difference to the support available to victims, as well as deter perpetrators from exploiting vulnerable people. Cuckooing has long been a hidden crime, and the impact it has on vulnerable victims has often not been recognised. There is still stigma from both sides: agencies thinking people invited the perpetrators in as they “wanted some free drugs”, and also victims feeling they will not be believed or are not worth it. We hope that the change in the legislation will help the victims to be seen and receive the support they require and build resilience to avoid further exploitation.’

IMPROVING THE SUPPORT
As the first specialist outreach team in England to support victims of cuckooing, we welcome the improvements in identification of cuckooing and new laws that will allow professionals to take action. Catalyst Support will continue to provide an assertive outreach service and further support to both victims and partner agencies to help address cuckooing in our communities.

Since the initial pilot, the team has received more than 588 referrals from victims aged between 18 and 93. Cuckooing can affect people of any age or background – although there are some vulnerabilities which can increase susceptibility to victimisation.