Missing People Website

home > friends & family > how we can help if a person has gone missing

How we can find missing people

Is the missing person at risk?

If you are concerned about a missing person, we would encourage you to contact the police as a first point of call.  Missing People can often help by providing the following services:

• We can produce and circulate posters of your missing person
• We can carry out publicity through web appeals, media slots and features
• We provide a 24 hour service for sighting of missing persons, click here to send us a sighting online
• We provide 24 hour services for missing people to contact us confidentially
• We are able to text Message Home or Runaway Helpline Freefone number to the missing person's mobile phone (if their number is known)
• In addition, we will support you and keep in contact throughout the duration of the case

How do I know if the missing person is at risk and if the police will be able to help me?

A missing person may be assessed as ‘at risk’ if they fit one or more of the following?

• Is the missing person under 16 or over 65 years?
• Has the missing person expressed feelings of suicide?
• Does the missing person suffer from senile dementia or Alzheimer’s?
• Is the missing person acting totally out of character?
• Is the missing person suffering from mental health issues?
• Is the missing person suffering from increased stress?
• Is the missing person suffering from an illness or a physical disability?
• Does the missing person have a learning disability?
• Is the missing person in need of regular medication/care?
• Is the missing person an addict?

If you need further advice, please see the other organisations that can help

What can the police do to find missing people?

Are you concerned that your missing relative is particularly vulnerable and therefore at risk while missing? 

For example:

• Is the missing person under 16 or over 65 years?

• Has the missing person expressed feelings of suicide?
• Does the missing person suffer from senile dementia or  Alzheimer’s?
• Is the missing person acting totally out of character?
• Is the missing person suffering from mental health issues?
• Is the missing person suffering from increased stress?
• Is the missing person suffering from an illness or a physical disability?
• Does the missing person have a learning disability?
• Is the missing person in need of regular medication/care?
• Is the missing person an addict?

The police’s role in a missing person’s case is to make enquiries to try and locate a missing person. Click here to find out how you can report someone missing to the police . In order for Missing People to publicise a case, the person has to be reported missing to the police, and we will need to contact police to check our involvement is appropriate at this stage.

If you do not think that the person you are looking for is necessarily at risk, but you would like to try and find them, please click here to see how we can help 

Report someone missing here