Lost passport, cards, phone or bags in the UK

Lost or stolen passport

1. Contact your own country’s embassy, high commission or consulate. A visitor’s passport is issued by their own government, not the UK’s. GOV.UK publishes the London Diplomatic List, with the addresses and contact details of every embassy and high commission, and a list of consular offices outside London, including Edinburgh, Cardiff, Manchester and Birmingham.^[1] Your embassy will tell you what it needs, which may include a police report.
2. If it was stolen, report it to the police on 101, or online (see reporting to the police).^[3]
3. If you travelled on an ETA, remember that GOV.UK says an ETA is linked to the passport you applied with.^[2] If you get a new passport, check with GOV.UK what that means for your ETA before you next travel.

Bank cards and money

• Block the card with your own bank or card issuer straight away, using the number on its website, app or the back of another card. A UK bank cannot do it for you.
• If you have lost money to fraud, the National Cyber Security Centre says to report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040 if you are in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, and to Police Scotland on 101 if you are in Scotland.^[6] Citizens Advice describes Report Fraud as the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud, open by phone Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, and says a crime reference helps when you tell your bank.^[7] Report Fraud’s own site refused our automated request, so we could not read it.^[8]
• If the scammer is nearby or you sent money in the last 24 hours, Citizens Advice says to call the police on 101 at once, and 999 if you feel threatened.^[7] Our scams guide covers the common tricks.

Phones

• Ask your mobile provider to block your SIM, and use your phone maker’s “find my device” service to lock or wipe it.
• Report a theft to the police on 101 or online, and keep the reference for your insurer.^[3]
• Immobilise is a free property register that the police can search nationally; registering a phone’s details there helps police identify the owner of recovered lost or stolen property.^[5]

Left something on transport

Reporting to the police

GOV.UK says to call 999 in an emergency, when a crime is happening or someone is in immediate danger, and 101 for anything that is not an emergency; you can also report online in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, and calls to 999 and 101 are free.^[3] The national police website refused our automated request, so we have not quoted it; use the GOV.UK page to reach the right online form.

Avant le voyage

• Save photos of your passport and cards somewhere you can reach from another device.
• Write down your card issuer’s lost-card number and your embassy’s details.
• Check whether your travel insurance covers lost or stolen belongings: an EHIC does not.^[9] See travel insurance.

Quick answers

What do I do if I lose my passport in the UK?

Contact your own country’s embassy, high commission or consulate: they issue passports and emergency travel documents, not the UK government. GOV.UK publishes the London Diplomatic List with every embassy’s contact details, and a list of consular offices outside London.

How do I find something I left on the Tube or a London bus?

Use TfL’s online lost property enquiry. For buses, TfL says to contact the bus operator first if you lost the item in the past 3 days. Do not visit the Lost Property Office: it is open by appointment only.

Who do I call if my bank card is stolen in the UK?

Your own card issuer, using the number on its website or app, so it can block the card. If you have lost money to fraud, NCSC says to report it to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, or to Police Scotland on 101.