Families bereaved through serious criminal acts face average costs of £37,000 in the wake of their loss, according to figures released this week.

The commissioner for victims and witnesses, Louise Casey, published the results of a survey of 36 families who had been bereaved through murder, manslaughter or culpable road death.

The research examined the financial cost to families following their bereavement, and revealed that they spent between £280 and £150,000 on legal costs, most frequently on estate settlement and applications for residency orders in cases where a child’s parent had been killed.

Aside from legal costs, some families also had to find the money to travel to court for trials, counselling, and even clearing up a murder scene or moving house.

In addition to these costs, people often suffered loss of earnings because they were unable to work due to the trauma they had experienced.

The commissioner released the figures ahead of her review next month to the justice secretary of the support currently available to families, in which she will emphasise the need for existing resources to be better targeted to those most in need.

Casey said she had met scores of families who had been forced into debt or to re-mortgage their house in order to pay for expenses because of what had happened to a loved one.

She noted that families who are affected by these kinds of crime are more likely to come from poorer backgrounds, and therefore less likely to cope with sudden financial pressures.

Casey said her review was not about handing out more compensation, but getting the right practical help and support to those who need it most.