Janine GriffithsWhen Alex knocked on her elderly neighbour’s door, she never knew who was going to answer. “She was like family to me,” she says. “I’ve known her since I was a teenager. When my kids were little, she used to babysit them. We used to look out for each other. But things changed suddenly last year.”
That change was the arrival of men who “slipped in and out of the house at all hours.” Her once-cheerful neighbour became unrecognisable—“terrified” at times, “oddly calm” at others, as if trying to convince herself all was well.
Alex soon realised her neighbour, in her 80s and in the early stages of dementia, was being cuckooed—when gangs take over the homes of vulnerable people. Her attempts to intervene were met with hostility from the men. “One of them slammed the door in my face,” she recalls. “When I asked her privately what was going on, she just brushed it off.”
Then came the hospitalisation. “At first, she claimed she was ill, but eventually, a nurse told us she’d been assaulted,” says Alex. “That’s when it came out that the men had been threatening her and making sexual comments and at times, acting on their impulses.”
Sometimes, her neighbour even saw them as friends, because they occasionally “helped” around the house. But the abuse and control remained—despite repeated police calls.
Her neighbour’s refusal to testify, and worsening mental health, left authorities unable to intervene. Sadly, her neighbour died late last year, and Alex, who has since moved homes, never did find out what became of those men.
The Hidden Tactics of Control
Rebecca Scott, a social prescriber in Leeds, works with many victims like Alex’s neighbour. “The biggest challenge that we find is that people struggle to recognise their own vulnerabilities,” she says. “Because cuckooing has become their way of life… they don’t always recognise themselves to be vulnerable.
“And if they can’t see that, it’s hard for them to understand that what’s happening is wrong — and even harder to get help.”
According to Scott, victims often believe they are in control. “Often, we see situations where individuals are clearly being exploited, but they’ll say things like, ‘It’s okay because they give me things in return.’”
Manipulation is central to cuckooing, she says. “It’s a way of making the situation seem more acceptable to the victims… even though they’re being taken advantage of.”
Getting to the truth takes patience and trust. “We usually notice when their money comes in and how quickly it disappears,” Rebecca said “That’s when patterns of exploitation start to become visible.
“Many vulnerable people may have lived in the same area their entire lives, so when their circumstances or vulnerabilities change, it becomes noticeable. That visibility can sadly make them a target.”
This is why it is important to check in with vulnerable people, and ask the right type of questions, according to Rebecca, who added: “We do try to get a good understanding of people’s lives and their home situations. When finances come up, we look a little deeper: what exactly is going wrong? Where is the money going? Who else is in the property? Has anyone new moved in?
“It often takes multiple visits before people open up.”
For many victims, fear is the overriding force. “Often, the reason victims can’t say no comes down to fear — fear of what might happen if they refuse,” Scott explains. “Especially when there’s a power imbalance… intimidation plays a big role.”
Social prescribers are professionals who help people access non-medical support services to improve their wellbeing. They are often a quiet lifeline for people trapped in cuckooing situations.
They don’t just listen — they take action, gently guiding victims toward safety without forcing them to take steps they’re not ready for. Rebecca explains that even when someone isn’t ready to go to the police, simply logging what’s happened can create a vital paper trail.
Behind the scenes, social prescribers work to bring in support — alerting housing officers, social workers, and other organisations so more people are looking out for signs of harm. They also help victims regain some control, whether that’s putting limits on bank accounts to prevent financial exploitation or helping them make small changes that chip away at the grip of their abusers.
“It’s not about rushing someone to leave — it’s about standing beside them, building trust, and taking small steps toward safety that can make all the difference,” Rebecca added.
But another powerful silencer is shame. “Victims wrestle with thoughts like ‘I can’t believe I let this happen, I was so naive, I thought they were a friend’,” says Professor Laura Bainbridge of the University of Leeds. “That really tells you a lot about how terrible the victimisation is and how hidden it is.”
Bainbridge, who co-founded the Cuckooing Research & Prevention Network, is one of the few academics collecting data on the issue. But progress is slow. “Earning the trust of victims is a slow and delicate process,” she says.
Although its impact on victims is profound, cuckooing is not officially recognised as a crime — and coupled with the reluctance of victims to speak out, experts face major challenges in tracking its prevalence nationwide. As a result, there are not many statistics available on the exact numbers of people impacted by this crime.
Fighting Back, One Door at a Time
Many cuckooing victims fear retaliation or being labelled as informants, especially when violent gang members are involved. As Sergeant Jonathan Attree explains, victims “felt that once they said yes to letting the gangs in, there was no way of saying no afterward,” leaving them trapped in fear and silence.
Jonathan Attree has led more than 15 cuckooing investigations. His success lies in partnership. “We put together a plan to tackle gang-related crime and offer wraparound support to the victims,” he explains. “Plainclothes officers carried out door knocks alongside DWP staff… which helped build trust and show we weren’t just there to arrest people.”
But legal limitations make enforcement difficult. “Cuckooing isn’t technically a crime yet, which is frustrating,” says Attree. “We’re constantly having to work around the issue using different tools… because unless we believe someone’s life is at risk, we can’t enter the property.”
“But even when we know gang members are inside, the intelligence gap often means we can’t be certain there’s an immediate threat to life.”
Until clearer laws are introduced, police efforts to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable will remain limited and reactive.
Cuckooing is frequently linked to county lines drug operations, where gangs from major cities extend their networks to smaller towns. These gangs use cuckooed properties to store drugs and house dealers.
However, cuckooing also occurs on a local level, with local drug dealers exploiting vulnerable individuals to store drugs, weapons, or stolen goods. Shockingly, even members of the hidden homeless community can become both victims and perpetrators of cuckooing. In some cases, women are forced into sex work by men who initially feign romantic interest.
Amber Wilson, from the charity Basis in West Yorkshire, sees it firsthand. She said: “When a woman’s home is taken over through cuckooing, she often has no choice but to leave.
“Fear of threats and intimidation can lead people to avoid seeking help, resulting in them rough sleeping—often without us knowing the real reason.
“If they do feel safe enough to disclose that they’re being cuckooed, it allows us to better advocate for them when it comes to securing housing and emergency support.”
Her sentiments were echoed by Rachael Quirie of Positive Steps, who added: “As with many crimes, the most vulnerable in society are often the targets.
“This includes younger people recruited by gangs in exchange for high-value goods, social status, and more… Other vulnerable groups include the elderly, drug users, and people with physical and/or mental health issues.”
Key signs to look out for
How do you know if a loved one is being cuckooed? Rachael outlines key signs:
- Deterioration in the individual’s appearance or demeanour.
- Multiple new faces at the door/other people answering the door.
- Unusual periods of absence and deviation from routines.
- Avoiding their home/avoiding others coming in.
- Increased or out-of-character anti-social behaviour at the address.
- Sudden increases in cash payments – i.e. paying off debt in cash.
- In the cases of children, key signs could also include children coming home with expensive gifts from unexplained sources.
If you believe you or someone you know may be vulnerable, get help immediately. Alerting the police, NHS or local authorities can provide a vital lifeline.
“Many of the cases we deal with are brought to the attention of authorities through concerns raised by friends, family and neighbours,” Rachael says. “Provide as much information as you can, noting any dates and times.”
A Crime Still in the Shadows
Though awareness is growing, the fight against cuckooing is slowed by legal gaps, victim silence, and the long process of trust-building. But behind every quietly overtaken home is someone too afraid—or ashamed—to speak.
But with care, collaboration and calls for reform, professionals on the front lines hope to change that.
