This guide is maintained as a current resource for July 2026 and covers only the laws of England and Wales. Information is for general guidance, not legal advice. Consult a qualified solicitor for advice specific to your situation.
Comprehensive explanation of when police can lawfully stop a person on the street in England and Wales. Covers stop and account, reasonable grounds, statutory stop and search powers, area-based suspicionless stops, what officers must tell you and your rights during encounters with police. Reliable educational resource for the public, students and solicitors.
Police have specific legal powers to stop a person in public places, including on the street, to prevent or investigate crime. These powers are carefully defined in UK law and supported by official codes of practice and guidance. At the same time, individuals have rights and protections during such encounters. This guide explains when the police can legally stop you on the street, what they can ask or do, and what rights you have as a member of the public in England and Wales.
1. Distinguishing “Stop and Account” from Legal Powers
Informal Stops – Stop and Account
An officer may approach and speak to you on the street to ask straightforward questions such as your name, what you are doing or where you are going. This is sometimes referred to as a stop and account. It is not a formal police power, and you are free to refuse to answer and to walk away if there is no other lawful reason to detain you. A uniformed Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) may be involved in this type of interaction too, but they have no power to detain you simply by asking questions.
Formal Powers to Stop
A police officer can only lawfully stop and detain you on the street if they are exercising a legal power. The most familiar of these is stop and search under legislation like the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and other specific statutes. Unlike a stop and account, a lawful stop under these powers may require you to remain and answer questions or undergo a search.
2. Stop and Search Powers
Reasonable Grounds to Stop
The principal basis for a lawful stop and search in public is that a police officer has reasonable grounds to suspect you are carrying prohibited items or involved in criminal activity. Prohibited items can include:
- illegal drugs
- weapons or offensive instruments
- stolen property
- items that could be used in the commission of crime.
What Are “Reasonable Grounds”?
Reasonable grounds are more than a hunch. An officer must have objective reasons, based on specific information, intelligence or behaviour, to justify the suspicion. They must be able to explain why those grounds exist. Simple features such as your appearance or belonging to a particular group cannot alone justify a stop.
When these grounds are present, the officer may stop you, detain you for the duration of the search, and examine your outer clothing or anything you are carrying. You cannot refuse a lawful search when reasonable grounds exist, and the officer may use reasonable force to carry it out if necessary.
3. Stop Without Reasonable Suspicion
In limited circumstances, police can stop a person without having reasonable suspicion about them individually:
Section 60 – Serious Violence
Under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, a senior officer may authorise stop and search in a defined area for a limited time if there is a reasonable belief that serious violence will occur, has occurred, or that weapons are being carried in that area. These powers allow officers to stop and search multiple individuals in a locality without individual suspicion.
Public Order Act 2023
The Public Order Act 2023 introduced additional powers that allow officers to stop and search people in a designated area without reasonable suspicion in connection with specific protest-related offences, where there is reasonable belief that such offences may occur and prohibited items may be carried. These powers operate in a similar way to section 60 but focus on events involving public order and protest activity.
Both of these suspension-of-suspicion powers are time‑limited and area‑specific and must be authorised by a senior officer before they are used.
4. What Police Must Tell You When Stopping You
If a police officer stops and searches you under a formal power, they must normally explain:
- their name and police station,
- the legal reason for the stop,
- the grounds for suspicion (where applicable),
- what they expect to find.
This information often forms part of the GOWISELY requirements found in police codes of practice covering stop and search. Officers should conduct the stop professionally and with respect for individual dignity.
5. Other Relevant Powers
Schedule 7 Terrorism Powers
Although not a general stop-on-street power, Schedule 7 to the Terrorism Act 2000 gives certain officers authority to stop, question and, where necessary, detain individuals at designated ports and border controls to assess involvement in terrorism. This power does not require reasonable suspicion but must be exercised within strict statutory safeguards and with appropriate explanation of rights and obligations.
Police Arrest Powers
If during a lawful stop a police officer forms reasonable grounds to suspect you have committed or are committing an offence, they may escalate the encounter to an arrest. Arrest carries its own legal framework and safeguards, separate from stop and search powers, including the requirement to explain the reasons for arrest and your rights.
6. Your Rights During and After a Stop
During a lawful stop:
- you have a right to be informed why you are being stopped;
- you may ask for a copy of the search record;
- you must not be stopped based solely on protected characteristics such as race, religion or gender.
You are not required to answer detailed questions or provide personal information unless the officer has a lawful power to require this. If you think your rights have been breached, there are formal complaint procedures and avenues for redress, including complaints to the police force or independent oversight bodies.
Key Takeaways
Police can stop a person on the street in England and Wales under clearly defined legal powers. An officer may informally stop and ask questions without detaining you, but they may only stop and detain you when exercising a legal power such as stop and search with reasonable suspicion or under specific statutory authorisations that temporarily suspend the usual requirement for personal suspicion. These powers are grounded in statute and supported by codes of practice designed to protect personal liberties while enabling effective policing.
Understanding the difference between informal encounters and formal powers, knowing what officers must explain, and being aware of your rights helps individuals navigate stop situations with clarity and confidence.
