Victim Support has been named the key agency for the delivery of the government’s new National Victim Service.

The charity will receive an additional £8m a year to deliver the service, having spent the past three years restructuring and developing its own services in order to be in “prime position” to take on the role.

The project will get under way with the launch of extra support for people affected by homicide at the end of February, followed by wider service improvements for other victims from April onwards.

Gillian Guy (pictured), chief executive of Victim Support, said: “It will enable us to involve more specialist victim groups in delivering a full package of support for those who need it.

“It also puts us in a stronger position to get other public services to help victims and tackle a wider range of support needs.”