They can:
* Issue emergency passports;
* Contact relatives and friends and ask them to help you with money or tickets;
* In an emergency, cash you a sterling cheque worth up to £100 if supported by a valid banker’s card;
* As a last resort, in exceptional circumstances, and as long as you meet certain strict rules, give you a loan to get back to the UK, but only if there is no one else who can help you;
* Visit you if arrested or put in prison, and arrange for messages to be sent to relatives or friends;
* Help you get in touch with local lawyers, interpreters and doctors;
* Tell you how to transfer money;
* Arrange for next of kin to be told of an accident or a death and advise on procedures;
* Put you in touch with organisations who help trace missing persons;
* Speak to local authorities on your behalf;
* Give you a list of local lawyers.
But they cannot:
* Intervene in court cases;
* Pay your hotel, legal, medical or any other bills;
* Get you somewhere to live, a job, or work permit;
* Get you out of prison;
* Investigate a crime;
* Give legal advice or start court proceedings for you;
* Get you better treatment in hospital or prison than is given to locals;
* Pay your travel costs, except in special circumstances;
* Do work normally done by travel agents, airlines, banks or motoring organisations;
* Demand you be treated as British if you are a dual national in the country of your second nationality.
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