The White House has announced changes to how the government handles hostage situations that involve US citizens.

President Barack Obama has directed the US government not to threaten the hostages’ families with prosecution if they attempt to pay captors’ ransom.

Mr Obama has drawn criticism for the long-standing policy of prohibiting concessions to militant groups.

The shift raises questions about whether it makes US citizens more lucrative targets for hostage-takers.

The changes come at the conclusion of a review into the US policy, which was ordered after the deaths of several US hostages in the past year.

The fact that many European governments regularly pay ransoms to free their citizens has frustrated US families as they have worked to win the release of their loved ones.

“The families of hostages have told us – and they have told me directly – about their frequent frustrations in dealing with their own government,” Mr Obama said, before admitting that government departments are “not always as well coordinated as they need to be”.

He described the problems that the families raised – including the threat of prosecution – as “totally unacceptable”.

The changes were ordered in a policy directive handed down by President Obama on Wednesday, known as PPD-30.

The White House said that the directive “reaffirms our longstanding commitment to make no concessions to individuals or groups holding US nationals hostage…but makes clear for the first time that ‘no concessions’ does not mean ‘no communication’”.

In a separate statement, the US Department of Justice wrote: “The department does not intend to add to families’ pain in such cases by suggesting that they could face criminal prosecution.”