An estimated 250,000 people are reported missing to the police and other agencies every year in the UK. This is an issue that affects a large and diverse number of people. A lack of information can cause families and friends to feel isolated and confused with no real understanding of the nature and ‘scope’ of missing. Many studies have already been conducted by both external academics and our own research department at Missing People to understand the issue of missing and how best to support the person and their families and friends, and these are still continuing.

Exploring the issue of missing may help families and friends to better understand the reasons behind an individual’s disappearance and to give a more comprehensive picture of this underreported issue.

Click this link to visit Information Sheet pages which offer summaries of the available research and give an overview of this distressing phenomenon.