- Councils to be handed £257 million to provide support for
victims of domestic abuse and their children who are staying in
safe accommodation
- Funding to go towards vital services such as counselling,
financial advice, help rehousing and therapy for children
- Expected to support over 70,000 victims of domestic abuse in
England
An estimated 70,000 victims of domestic abuse will benefit from
specialist support services to help them rebuild their lives in a
safe environment.
£257 million will be handed to councils across England to make
sure safe accommodation spaces such as refuges and shelters can
provide vital support. The support will include counselling,
assistance with rehousing, financial advice and play therapy for
traumatised children.
The funding, allocated over two years and issued as a flexible
grant, will be used by local authorities to plan support services
and work closely with local charities and other service providers
to best meet the needs of victims who have had to flee their
homes.
Housing and Homelessness Minister said:
Domestic abuse is a devastating crime, and this funding will help
victims and their children across the country who need to escape
from danger to recover and rebuild their lives in safe housing.
Whether it’s counselling, advice on how to handle finances or
help finding a new home – councils can use this money to
make a real difference on the ground, giving victims the help and
support they need.
Domestic abuse is the most prevalent form of violence against
women and girls. The 2019-20 crime survey estimated 2.3 million
people experienced in the previous year experienced domestic
abuse, with women more likely to be impacted.
This funding follows the government’s landmark Domestic Abuse Act
2021, which places a legal duty on councils to fund support in
safe accommodation for all victims and their families. The money
will help pay for these vital services.
More than £330 million has already been invested since 2014 to
provide support for domestic abuse victims in safe accommodation,
with refuge bed spaces increasing by more than 20% in the past 12
years. On top of this, £5.7 million is being invested in the
Respite Rooms programme which supports vulnerable rough sleepers
impacted by domestic abuse.
This is in addition to the £2 million we provided to increase the
capacity of domestic abuse helplines and online services during
the pandemic.
