Serve Court Papers on Someone in a UK Prison (HMP)

May 19, 2023 - Reading time: 13 minutes

If you need to serve court paperwork on an individual that is currently being held by His Majesty's Prison (HMP) in the UK, then we can help. Working the length and breadth of Great Britain, and even overseas in some cases, our process serving division helps our clients by serving documents on individuals in a wide range of different cases. 

There could be many reasons that you need documents or court paperwork to be served on an individual that is currently being held in a UK prison... For example, landlords that lease properties to individuals who later find themselves being detained in prison, may need to serve documents on their tenant in order to progress eviction proceedings and regain access to their properties.

HM Prison sign

The service of other documents, such as non-molestation orders, statutory demands, claim forms, or divorce petitions in cases where our client needs to divorce a prisoner in the UK, are all relatively common within prisons.

Why you should choose us

Understandably, many of our clients find the prospect of entering a prison or jail in order to serve documents on an inmate to be a daunting and stressful proposition. Our agents are experienced at serving within prisons, we can take the stress out of the situation by carrying out a serve on your behalf.

Instructing an experienced process server can help to ensure that the serve will be carried out professionally and diligently. Furthermore, the use of an independent third party to serve court papers can often help to have a calming effect on the situation, which in tern leads to the desired result in a fast and professional manner.

Service of documents in prison

In cases where we are required to serve documents or court papers on prisoners, it's important to note that prisoners cannot be forced to attend legal visits; if an agent attends a prison and the subject decides that they will refuse to attend then additional fees will be payable to rebook another visit at a future date.

While our rates of success are high, we cannot guarantee success or the prisoner's amiability towards a service in any particular case. 

How to proceed

In order for us to serve documents on a prisoner in the UK, we require the prisoner's full name, date of birth, prisoner number, and the name of the prison which they are currently held in. Please be aware that if the defendant is detained in an unknown prison, then it is unlikely that the prison service will assist by providing information on their current whereabouts. In this case the prisoner's location would need to be established by other means.

We offer free quotes for all work. Please feel free to get in touch with us and mention the type of documents that you need to service, as well as the prison name and location. We will do our best to offer the most speedy and cost effective solution in your case.

Once we have provided a quote which has been accepted, we will then need to receive payment before arranging a prison visit to service the documents... It is not possible to simply arrive at the gates of a prison and request to see a prisoner; a visit will need to be booked in advance. Prison visits often become fully booked quickly, it is therefore advisable to instruct us in as much time as possible in order to ensure a speedy completion.

Contact numbers for prisons & Young Offender Institutes in England and Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

  • HM Prison Altcourse, Liverpool - 01515 222000
  • HM Prison Ashfield, Gloucestershire - 011730 38000
  • HM Prison Askham Grange, North Yorkshire - 01904 772000
  • HM Prison Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire - 01296 444000
  • HM Prison Bedford, Bedfordshire - 01234 373000
  • HM Prison Belmarsh, London - 02083 314400
  • HM Prison Berwyn, Wrexham - 01978 523000
  • HM Prison Birmingham, West Midlands - 0121598 8000
  • HM Prison & YOI Brinsford, Staffordshire - 01902 533450
  • HM Prison Bristol, Bristol - 0117 372 3100
  • HM Prison Brixton, London - 020 8588 6000
  • HM Prison Bronzefield, Surrey - 01784 425690
  • HM Prison Buckley Hall, Greater Manchester - 01706 514300
  • HM Prison & YOI Bullingdon, Oxfordshire - 01869 353100
  • HM Prison Bure, Norfolk - 01603 326000
  • HM Prison Cardiff, Cardiff - 0292092 3100
  • HM Prison Channings Wood, Devon - 01803 812060
  • HM Prison Chelmsford, Essex - 01245 552000
  • HM Prison Coldingley, Surrey - 01483 344300
  • HM Prison & YOI Cookham Wood, Kent - 01634 202500
  • HM Prison Dartmoor, Devon - 01822 322000
  • HM Prison & YOI Deerbolt, County Durham - 01833 633200
  • HM Prison & YOI Doncaster, South Yorkshire - 01302 760870
  • HM Prison Dovegate, Staffordshire - 01283 829400
  • HM Prison Downview, Surrey - 0208196 6300
  • HM Prison Drake Hall, Staffordshire - 01785 774100
  • HM Prison Durham, County Durham - 0191332 3400
  • HM Prison East Sutton Park, Kent - 01622 785000
  • HM Prison Eastwood Park, Gloucestershire - 01454 382100
  • HM Prison Erlestoke, Wiltshire - 01380 814250
  • HM Prison Exeter, Devon - 01392 415650
  • HM Prison Featherstone, Staffordshire - 0300 0606502
  • HM Prison/YOI Feltham, London -  0208844 5000
  • HM Prison Ford, West Sussex - 01903 663000
  • HM Prison Forest Bank, Greater Manchester - 0161925 7000
  • HM Prison & YOI Foston Hall, Derbyshire - 01283 584300
  • HM Prison Five Wells (Wellingborough Prison), Northamptonshire - 01933 718888
  • HM Prison Frankland, County Durham - 0191376 5048
  • HM Prison Full Sutton, East Riding of Yorkshire -  01759 475100
  • HM Prison Garth, Lancashire - 01772 443300
  • HM Prison Gartree, Leicestershire - 01858 426727
  • HM Prison Grendon, Buckinghamshire - 01296 445243
  • HM Prison Guys Marsh, Dorset - 01747 856586
  • HM Prison & YOI Hatfield, South Yorkshire - 01405 746500
  • HM Prison Haverigg, Cumbria - 01229 713000 
  • HM Prison Hewell, Worcestershire - 01527 785000
  • HM Prison High Down, Surrey - 0207147 6300
  • HM Prison Highpoint, Suffolk -  01440 743100
  • HM Prison Hindley, Greater Manchester -  01942 663234
  • HM Prison Hollesley Bay, Suffolk - 01394 412 400
  • HM Prison Holme House, County Durham -  01642 744355
  • HM Prison Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire -  01482 282 200
  • HM Prison Humber, East Riding of Yorkshire - 01430 273000
  • HM Prison/YOI Huntercombe, Oxfordshire - 01491 643100
  • HM Prison/YOI Isis, London - 0203 3564324
  • HM Prison Isle of Wight (Albany), Isle of Wight - 01983 634000
  • HM Prison Kirkham, Lancashire -  01772 675400
  • HM Prison Kirklevington Grange, North Yorkshire - 01642 792600
  • HM Prison Lancaster Farms, Lancashire -  01524 563450 
  • HM Prison Leeds, West Yorkshire - 01132 032600
  • HM Prison Leicester, Leicestershire - 01162 283000
  • HM Prison Lewes, East Sussex - 01273 785100
  • HM Prison Leyhill, Gloucestershire -  01454 264000
  • HM Prison Lincoln, Lincolnshire - 01522 663000
  • HM Prison Lewes, East Sussex - 01273 785100
  • HM Prison Leyhill, Gloucestershire - 01454 264000
  • HM Prison Lincoln, Lincolnshire - 01522 663000
  • HM Prison Lindholme, South Yorkshire - 01302 524700
  • HM Prison Littlehey, Cambridgeshire - 01480 335000
  • HM Prison Liverpool, Merseyside -  0151 5304000
  • HM Prison Long Lartin, Worcestershire - 01386 295100
  • HM Prison & YOI Low Newton, County Durham - 0191 376 4000
  • HM Prison Lowdham Grange, Nottinghamshire - 0115 966 9208 
  • HM Prison Maidstone, Kent - 01622 775 300
  • HM Prison Manchester, Greater Manchester - 0161 817 5600 
  • HM Prison Moorland, South Yorkshire - 01302 523 000
  • HM Prison Morton Hall, Lincolnshire - 0300 303 0649
  • HM Prison New Hall & YOI, West Yorkshire - 01924 803 000
  • HM Prison Northumberland, Northumberland - 01670 383100
  • HM Prison North Sea Camp, Lincolnshire - 01205 769 300
  • HM Prison Norwich, Norfolk - 01603 708 600
  • HM Prison Nottingham, Nottinghamshire - 0115 872 4000
  • HM Prison Oakwood, Staffordshire - 01902 799 700
  • HM Prison Onley, Warwickshire - 01788 523 400
  • HM Prison & YOI Parc, Mid Glamorgan - 01656 300200
  • HM Prison Pentonville, London - 020 7023 7000
  • HM Prison & YOI Peterborough, Cambridgeshire - 01733 217500
  • HM Prison & YOI Portland, Dorset - 01305 715 600 
  • HM Prison Prescoed, Monmouthshire - 01291 675 000
  • HM Prison Preston, Lancashire - 01772 444 550
  • HM Prison Ranby, Nottinghamshire - 01777 862 000
  • HM Prison Risley, Cheshire - 01925 733 000
  • HM Prison & YOI Rochester, Kent - 01634 803 100 
  • HM Prison Rye Hill, Northamptonshire - 01788 523300
  • HM Prison Send, Surrey - 01483 471 000
  • HM Prison Elmley (Sheppey Cluster), Kent - 01795 802 000
  • HM Prison Standford Hill (Sheppey Cluster), Kent - 01795 884 500
  • HM Prison Swaleside (Sheppey Cluster), Kent - 01795 804 100
  • HM Prison Stafford, Staffordshire - 01785 773000
  • HM Prison Stocken, Rutland - 01780 795 100
  • HM Prison & YOI Stoke Heath, Shropshire - 01630 636 000 
  • HM Prison & YOI Styal, Cheshire - 01625 553 000
  • HM Prison Sudbury, Derbyshire - 01283 584 000
  • HM Prison Swansea, Swansea - 01792 485 300
  • HM Prison Swinfen Hall, Staffordshire - 01543 484 000
  • HM Prison Thameside, London - 020 8317 9777
  • HM Prison The Mount, Hertfordshire - 01442 836 300
  • HM Prison The Verne, Dorest - 01305 825 000
  • HM Prison Thorn Cross, Cheshire - 01925 805 100
  • HM Prison Usk, Monmouthshire - 01291 671 600
  • HM Prison Wakefield, West Yorkshire - 01924 612000
  • HM Prison Wandsworth, London - 020 8588 4000
  • HM Prison Warren Hill, Suffolk - 01394 633 400
  • HM Prison Wayland, Norfolk - 01953 804 100
  • HM Prison Wealstun, West Yorkshire - 01937 444 400
  • HM YOI Werrington, Staffordshire - 01782 463300
  • HM YOI Wetherby, West Yorkshire - 01937 544 200
  • HM Prison Whatton, Nottinghamshire - 01949 803 200
  • HM Prison Whitemoor, Cambridgeshire - 01354 602350
  • HM Prison Winchester, Hampshire - 01962 723000
  • HM Prison & YOI Woodhill, Buckinghamshire - 01908 722 000
  • HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs, London - 020 8588 3200
  • HM Prison Wymott, Lancashire - 01772 442000

Contact numbers for prisons & Young Offender Institutes in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

  • HM Prison Addiewell, West Lothian - 01506 874500
  • HM Prison Barlinnie, Glasgow - 0141 770 2000 
  • HM Prison Castle Huntly, Perth and Kinross - 01382 319329
  • HM Prison & YOI Cornton Vale, Stirling - 01786 832591
  • HM Prison Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway - 01387 261218
  • HM Prison Edinburgh, Edinburgh - 0131 444 3000
  • HM Prison Glenochil, Clackmannanshire - 01259 760471
  • HM Prison & YOI Grampian, Aberdeenshire - 01779 485600
  • HM Prison Greenock, Inverclyde - 01475 787801
  • HM Prison Inverness, Highland - 01463 229000
  • HM Prison Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire - 01563 548800
  • HM Prison Low Moss, East Dunbartonshire - 0141 762 9500
  • HM Prison Perth, Perth and Kinross - 01738 622293
  • HM Prison/YOI Polmont, Falkirk - 01324 711558
  • HM Prison Shotts, North Lanarkshire - 01501 824000

Contact numbers for prisons & Young Offender Institutes in Northern Ireland

  • HM Prison Maghaberry, County Antrim - 028 9261 1888
  • HM Prison Magilligan, County Londonderry - 028 7776 3311
  • HM Prison Hydebank Wood, County Down - 028 90253849 
  • Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre, County Down - 028 9185 4600

Can private investigators trace IP addresses?

January 13, 2023 - Reading time: 6 minutes

As a leading detective agency, we are often asked to help trace people - and for a wide variety of different reasons, from locating debtors to tracing family members and in many other cases. We might be asked to help trace someone based on their past address, phone number, or other information. In cases which involve contact with the subject through the internet, it might be a desire for our client to find someone based purely on their IP address. But is this possible?

Investigation graphic on a touch screen

Private investigators are sometimes able to trace people based on their IP address - however, in many cases it is not possible. This article will touch on some of the methods which can be used to trace IP address and gain information from them.

Tracing IP addresses using data leaks

If an IP address features in a data leak, then it might be possible to find information on the user of that IP address. What do we mean by this...? Well, let's say that a person registers for an account at an online retailer while ordering clothes. They will submit their full name, date of birth, home address, along with a password and other details. That information will then be stored by the retailer in their database along with the user's IP address.

If that retailer is subsequently hacked and/or subject to a data breach, then the data will be compromised and likely posted online or sold between cybercriminals. If the data is posted publicly online, then it might be possible for a private investigator to trace the individual by drawing a link between their IP address and other details which are freely available in the public domain.

Of course, not every IP address features in a data leak, and it is therefore not possible to trace every IP address using this method. There is also the issue that multiple different people may use the same IP address over time. While digging up information relating to IP addresses through data leaks can sometimes prove useful, it is not always 100% accurate.

Tracing IP addresses through subscriber data

Tracing IP addresses through subscriber data is the most reliable method to locate the user. "Subscriber data" is data held by the user's internet service provider, which typically includes information such as the client's full name, home address and phone number.

In order to trace an IP address through subscriber data, you will need to request the information from the user's service provider. Due to strict data protection laws, most service providers will not share any information about their customers unless they are obliged to do so. If the service provider is not willing to share data with you, then you may need to instruct a lawyer to subpoena information from them.

Can authorities trace IP addresses?

Yes. Authorities and law enforcement agencies such as the police often trace people based on their IP addresses, in order to conduct investigations and to find the perpetrators of crimes. Server logs can help to pinpoint which user was connecting through a specific IP address at any given date/time, the user can then be identified through the subscriber data held by their ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Unlike law enforcement agencies, private investigators in the UK do not have any special rights or privileges to access subscriber data from internet service providers. Private investigators can only attempt to trace IP addresses by searching through data leaks or other information which is available in the public domain.

What type of information can be found from an IP address?

When it comes to gaining information from IP addresses, certain information is readily available in most cases, such as:

  • The user's city or approximate area
  • The user's country
  • Their internet service provider

What do we mean by "approximate area"?

It might be possible to discover that the user is based in London, for example, however it would not be possible to find their full address without contacting the user's internet provider and asking them to reveal that information (or conducting research by means of data leaks or other publicly available data).

Of course, if the subject was using a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a proxy, or an onion routing system such as Tor, then it will not be possible for you to find out which area they are in, or even which country they are connecting from. Various tools exist which can help to check whether an IP address is a known VPN or proxy.

Find GPS coordinates from an IP address

Searching online you might find tools which claim that they can help to 'triangulate an IP address' in order to trace the user and find GPS coordinates for their exact location. These tools are very easy to use, simply copy and paste an IP address and click a button - you will then discover the user's exact location... But is this really the case?

I am writing this article from London, England. When I use an 'IP address trace tool' on my own IP address, I am given the following coordinates as my exact location: 51.5072° N, 0.1276° W

Central London in Google Maps

Image: GPS coordinates 51.5072° N, 0.1276° W. Credit: Google Maps

The GPS coordinates '51.5072° N, 0.1276° W' mark the exact centre of London city - of course, this is not my true location. 

'Free IP address geolocation tools' will in most cases simply provide GPS coordinates for the exact centre of the user's city, and in some cases the provided area/city may not be 100% accurate with this type of tool either. It will be necessary to access subscriber data in order to truly find a person's exact location based on their IP address in most cases.


5 Signs Your Partner Is Having an Affair at Work

June 12, 2022 - Reading time: 12 minutes

One of the most common types of affair is a workplace affair, where a person gets too close to someone that they work with. If you think that your partner is having an affair at work, it can be stressful as you try and uncover the truth. The small comfort is that this is not an uncommon feeling, with many people are the world questioning their partners’ behaviour and intentions as they believe that they have been unfaithful. 

One man and one woman working in an office while wearing headsets

Workplace affairs can be difficult to identify as you may not see how your partner interacts within the workplace. As professional, experienced private investigators, this is where we come in. We can help uncover if your partner is being unfaithful, allowing you to know the truth and find some peace. 

There are many warning signs that your partner may be having an affair with someone that they work with, and it is important that you are aware of these warning signs to keep track of any changes in their behaviour. 

To help you out, we have utilised our years of experience in the private investigation field to provide you with a quick guide that includes five signs that your partner may be being unfaithful at work. These signs can help you strengthen your suspicions before investing in private investigation services to uncover the truth. Let’s take a closer look:

What Are The Tell Tale Signs That Your Partner Is Having an Affair at Work?

If you suspect that your partner is cheating on you with someone they work with, it can be difficult to prove or find out more information unless you work in the same place! As private investigators, we are able to conduct investigations subtly in order to find the answers that you can’t access.

To give you some kind of idea, however, we have put together a list of five key signs that we often see in cheating partners that get involved with a co-worker. Use this list as a starting point to help find out the truth. Take a look at our red flags below and see how they compare to your own situation:

1. Their Working Schedule Changes Unexpectedly

If your partner has a regular job which starts and finishes at the same time every day, or routine shift work, it is normal to be able to predict their working habits. If these habits change, it may be a sign that they are spending more time at work to be around a certain person. 

Look for instances when they need to work late when this is not their norm, or if they have to go in on days they don’t usually have to. A one-off could be a unique work circumstance, but a pattern of events like these can indicate that they are trying to hide something.

When they are telling you about working late, look at how they are delivering this information- are they casual and making eye contact, or do they refuse to look at you and quickly mention it before moving on to another topic of conversation? The delivery of this news can be a key indicator. 

2. Their Appearance Changes Unexpectedly and They Start Putting More Effort In

As a person enters a new relationship and is trying to impress someone new, they want to look their best. Therefore, you might begin noticing a change in their appearance and that they are making more effort than they usually would.

A woman applying lipstick and looking in a mirror

Are they wearing clothes they would normally keep for social occasions? Are they more groomed than usual or are putting on more make-up or aftershave? These can be signs that they are seeking attention from someone else. 

3. Work Events Become Far More Common

As the affair progresses, your partner may be looking for a reason or excuse that they can give to justify spending more time away from home so that they can continue their affair. Often, work events are used as the perfect excuse as they expect their partner not to question them. If your partner never attended events such as business trips, large conferences or parties before, and they begin to all of a sudden, this may be a sign that there is another motive behind their behaviour. 

If they do go on business trips regularly normally, it can be harder to tell. Think about if the length or frequency of these trips has changed, or if they are now cancelling plans with you or their family to attend them. This would be out of their normal routine and could be a potential red flag. 

4. They Are Constantly Attached To Their Phone

One of the most obvious tell tale signs that a person is having any kind of affair is that they are constantly attached to their phone. Now, it is important to note that we do rely on our phones a lot nowadays, but had your partner's mobile phone usage increased? Are they becoming more secretive and hiding what they are doing? You may find that they are hiding their phone when they are not using it so that you cannot see it, or they are deleting messages to others so you can’t look back on what they are talking about. 

A lady looks at a smartphone on a desk which is next to a laptop

If you do notice that they are on their phone all the time, who are they contacting? If it is a work colleague of the opposite sex, you may start to question why they are so close all of a sudden and if they are having an affair. 

5. They Do Not Respond Well To Questioning And Become Defensive 

If a person is having an affair at work, they will be working hard to hide it and cover their tracks, but this can be stressful. Therefore, you may find that when you ask them simple questions about their work day or reasons why they have had to work a weekend or stay late, they may quickly become cagey and defensive in the way that they answer. 

Often, they might shut down the conversation or try and change the topic to take your mind off their questioning, or they may give vague answers that lack any real detail or information in the hopes that you will then move on. 

Another way of dealing with this type of questioning is to immediately react like they are being attacked, and reply in a blunt or angry manner, making you feel like you have done something wrong. This is a strong sign that they may be hiding something as if they had nothing to hide, they won’t have had such a strong reaction to basic questions. 

What Should I Do If I Have My Suspicions That My Partner Is Having An Affair?

Often, if an individual has a bad feeling in their gut and a suspicion that something is wrong, it is because there is. If your partner is displaying some of our tell tale signs or is hiding information from you, it is important to talk to someone about it to help process your feelings.

A couple during an argument

On top of this, we recommend that you contact a trusted private investigator who can work hard to either confirm or deny your suspicions, rather than leaving you with no real answer. Private investigators have a particular set of skills that allow them to uncover information that you may not be able to access yourself. This skill set can include undercover surveillance, investigation into online presence and mobile phone usage. They understand the law on surveillance and ensure that they use legal methods to find out the answers to your questions.

How Common Are Workplace Affairs In Real Life?

The story goes that we often spend more hours with those who we work closely with than who we are in relationships with, and you know what, depending on the job that you do, this might be true. 

We often get ideas or suspicions about workplace affairs as we often see them dramatised on film and tv – with workers gradually becoming closer before they cross the line. But how common are they in real life? Well, we’ve looked into the research and unfortunately, they are more common than you may think. When asked in a survey, around 20% of people admitted openly to having an affair at work, but it is important to note that the true number may be much larger. This is because many may have participated in an affair with their co-worker, but may not want to admit it because they are scared of getting found out, or they are ashamed of their behaviour and do not want the judgement that comes with the confession. When another survey asked people to admit if they knew someone who had been unfaithful with someone from their workplace the number sat at just under 50%.

How Do Workplace Affairs Develop?

As mentioned above, workplace affairs often develop when two people are spending a lot of time together – long hours working on a project where collaboration is key. While close working relationships with colleagues aren’t necessarily a bad thing, sometimes feelings can get involved and a person can cross a line.  Workplace affairs rarely happen quickly and instead can take weeks or even months to develop. The initial move from a friendship to an affair can happen in the workplace setting or while the two involved are socialising at a work event or business trip. As the majority of the affair occurs during working hours, it can be difficult for a partner at home to detect, especially if they do not know what their partner’s co-workers are like. 

When it comes to workplace affairs, there are different types of affairs. Some affairs between co-workers are simply about sex and intimacy and are very physical. These types of affair tend to have fewer emotions and feelings involved. On the other end of the spectrum are affairs where feelings occur, emotions are strong and there is a real possibility of a long-term connection. No matter which, type of affair, however, the hurt that an innocent partner can feel can be extremely damaging. Therefore, if your partner is having an affair, it is important to try and identify the situation early to limit the damage and be able to move on. 

Hire An Investigator To Get To The Bottom Of The Issue

If after reading our guide, you have become more concerned that your partner may be having a workplace affair, it may be time to find out once and for all what they are up to. If you are looking for a private investigator that specialises in cheating partners, look no further than Private Investigators UK. We use our years of experience to find the evidence that you need to confront your partner and move on with your life. 

PrivateInvestigators-UK logo superimposed over a female with a retina scanner

We handle each of our cases with professionalism and discretion, ensuring that our clients are protected. Our expert staff communicate their methods clearly and work with you to find out the information that you are looking for. All our cases are confidential and are handled with care and concern, as we understand how stressful a time this can be for you. 

To get the investigation started, contact us today by calling or, or emailing us. We look forward to hearing from you and getting you the answers you deserve.


Ten Long Term Effects Of Cheating

June 5, 2022 - Reading time: 11 minutes

Let’s be honest, relationships are hard at the best of times but when two people are dedicated to each other and on the same page, they can work on it together. A problem occurs, however, when one person in the relationship is unfaithful and cheats on their partner. This is because it can not only ruin the relationship but there are long-term consequences that last far longer and can impact the person that is cheated on.

While these consequences tend to be negative, it is important to be able to identify them as this can go some way to fixing the problem. Not everyone that has been cheated on will experience all of the ten long term effects on our list, but they may experience a combination of them. Let’s take a closer look:

Long Term Effect 1: Blaming Themselves

Perhaps the most common consequence of a partner cheating is that they begin to blame themselves for their partners actions – thinking what they did to cause it and internalising the blame rather than blaming their partner for their own actions.

A man and woman during an argument

Many people spend a significant amount of time thinking what they could have done differently, or what they could have done more of in order to stop their partner from straying. This can eat a person up, causing them to have negative opinions of themselves. Therefore, due to this a partner cheating can have a long term impact on a person’s self-esteem and self-worth which can impact all areas of their life. 

Long Term Effect 2: Negatively Impacting Future Relationships

If an individual has had their partner cheat on them, this can have a detrimental effect on their future relationships – whether they chose to forgive their partner and move on, or whether they choose to start a relationship later down the line with someone else. 

As being cheated on can cause so much pain, it takes time to process this pain and minimise its effects. If a person is not careful, this pain can negatively impact their future relationships. For example, if the partner that cheated often went out without telling them, they will be upset or suspicious even if their new partner does this once. This can lead to significant strain on the new relationship from early on.

Long Term Effect 3: Not Wanting To Be Seen As Sensitive

Often if you have suspected that your partner is cheating for a long time, you may have noticed signs and tried to get to the bottom of it. In doing so, you may often have been speaking up, asking questions or saying that you were not happy about something.

Partners that have something to hide will often berate you for this, getting angry and frustrated could mean that you stop speaking up or make you think that you are being paranoid. Many who have been cheated on fear that voicing their opinion will lead to people pulling away from them.

Long Term Effect 4: Questioning the Entire Relationship

After a person has been cheated on and that trust is broken, the person that has been hurt may begin to look back on their relationship, questioning every situation and second guessing themselves, causing them significant distress. Moreover, this level of overthinking is likely to leak into other areas of their life including future relationships and friendships with their friends and family.

Man and woman touching hands

Common questions that a person may ask themselves include things like ‘Did they ever love me?’, ‘Were there warning signs?’ and ‘What did I do wrong?’. If you find yourself constantly fixating on questions like this, then it may be a sign that you need to talk your experiences over with a trained professional in order to come to terms with what has happened.

Long Term Effect 5: Losing Confidence In Your Abilities

As well as questioning their relationship and their actions, cheating can lead to a person losing all their confidence in many areas of their life. They may begin to doubt their abilities, their aspirations, and even their positive characteristics as a result of the self-blame that is often associated with cheating.

They may internalise their feelings and take this very personally, causing major long-term ramifications, because they believe their spouse cheated on them due to their own traits. A lack of confidence can negatively impact a person’s work, how they work towards their goals and their relationships with the people they are closest to. They may give up hobbies and interests that they are passionate about or become a more timid, reserved version of themselves.

Long Term Effect 6: Increase In Mental Health Conditions

As well as general upset and a lot of emotion, being cheated on has been found to actually increase the likelihood of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Studies have found that depression and anxiety can be exacerbated when a person is cheated on – whether this is straight away or a few months down the line once they have had time to process it.

Being cheated on is tough, and it can lead to some kind of mental trauma that can impact them long term. If you feel that this is the case, it is important to reach out for help and support to help get you through this difficult time. This could be to friends and family, or to a professional that is trained to deal with these kind of mental health conditions. 

Long Term Effect 7: Losing Trust

One of the biggest long term effects of cheating is losing your trust in other people. It doesn’t only affect your feelings about yourself, like we discussed above, but it impacts your interactions and relationships with those around you. Part of this is due to the hurt and anger that you feel, and this may change the way you act around people, and part is due to the fact that you did once trust someone, and they let you down.

The word trust made with scrabble letters

Trust is a complex thing – although it does not cost anything, it takes a lot to build. In relationships trust generally develops naturally as you spend time with someone, but one act of cheating can remove this very quickly. Not only can you lose trust in the person that cheated on you, but this feeling may also transfer to your other relationships – or for example, with friends and family. You may not notice this happening at first, so it is important to actively work hard on these relationships. You may find out that those around you will notice changes and mention it to you – and this may be the first you realize you are treating them differently.

Long Term Effect 8: Emotional About Your Ex-Partner

Even months or years after a person discovers they have been cheated on and splits up with their partner, they may find themselves getting emotional about their ex. Many avoid seeing them as they think they will not be able to cope, and do not even like reminiscing about the memories they have together. Ultimately, this comes from a place of hurt and it is a totally normal reaction to have. This emotions that are connected to your old relationship may not mean that you miss your ex-partner and want them back, rather, it is linked to a moment in your life where you felt vulnerable. These feelings may still continue even when you find a new partner who you love, but this is normal and happens to many people who have been cheated on. 

Long Term Effect 9: Wanting To Be Single Forever

Let’s be honest, once you have been cheated on, it is totally normal to want to avoid relationships for a while due to some of the issues we listed above. Many can be put off relationships as they do not want to commit to someone and put their trust in them again. This may be an opportunity for a person to spend some time by themselves, or to date without the commitment of a partner. In the end, this process may lead to personal growth and in the long run will lead to them finding the person that is right for them – it may just take a bit of time.

Long Term Effect 10: It Can Give You Strength and Determination

While most of the effects that we have included in our list are pretty negative, many experts believe that cheating can lead to a fresh start. Often cheating is not the only cause of a relationship breaking down. Instead, it is more of a symptom that comes from the existing issues within it. Too often, couples do not address issues in their relationship head on, and instead choose to ignore them. This can lead to a ‘blow out’ where things come to a head and can lead to a person being unfaithful.  After a person finds out that they have been cheated on, it can lead to them having a fresh start and taking control of their life. They work on themselves and try and move on with their life, which may turn out to be the best thing that happens to them.

While the initial reaction to cheating may be painful, often those who have been cheated on in the past look back on the experience as a moment that changed their life in a positive way.

The Take Away

If someone is a victim of cheating, and they find out that a person they love has broken their trust it can have serious, lasting effects. Ultimately, the person that is impacted the most by an act of cheating is the person that did not do anything wrong. Although the experience is not nice, and can make a person feel vulnerable, there are steps that can be taken to improve how they are feeling and boost their mental health. 

If you feel like your partner is cheating, but do not have proof this may mean that you are left paranoid or insecure. One way to combat this is through hiring a private investigator to find proof, allowing you to move on with your life and work on your own self.

As a leading detective agency, Private Investigators UK can help to check whether your partner is cheating on you and to gather evidence in the form of photos/video. Our investigators work across the UK and abroad. Please visit our homepage to learn more about us and the services that we offer.

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