An initiative supporting women and children to escape abusive
relationships will see its funding doubled from £2 million to £4
million for the current year.
The Fund to Leave scheme has supported 1,519 women and 2,094
children to leave unsafe situations since its launch in February
2026 an additional £2 million will be made available in
2026-27, taking total investment up to £4 million, to ensure that
there is no cap on support and to help more women and children
leave abusive relationships safely and rebuild their lives.
The initiative provides immediate financial support for
essentials for women leaving an abusive partner - removing the
financial barriers that can trap women in harmful relationships
by giving them the means to act quickly and safely.
The Scottish Government has also pledged further support for
survivors of domestic abuse to ensure they are not unfairly
burdened by Council Tax debt resulting from an abusive
relationship. The Scottish Government will consult on creating a
statutory exception to joint and several liability rules to
protect victims of domestic abuse. Further details will be
announced in Parliament next month with a public consultation
expected in 2027.
Deputy First Minister said:
There is absolutely no place for domestic abuse in modern
Scotland it is one of the most harmful and pervasive forms of
violence against women and girls.
We are determined to break down financial barriers that will
often stand in the way of leaving an abusive partner. Our Fund to
Leave scheme provides immediate financial help for women so they
can begin to safely rebuild their lives and protect their
children from harm. Since its formation last year, the initiative
has already helped more than 1,500 women rebuild their lives - I
am pleased to provide further support for this initiative to
remove the cap and help more women benefit from its significant
impact.
Nobody should have to face additional harm as a result of
domestic abuse. We recognise that joint and several liability for
council tax can create very difficult circumstances for those
experiencing or who have experienced abuse. We will take forward
work with local councils to ensure solutions are in place to
protect victims of abuse from unfair council tax debt I will
provide further detail to Parliament on these measures next
month.
Background:
Joint and several liability for council tax means two or more
people can be liable for paying the council tax on a particular
property. Where a bill is not paid and debt has accrued, a local
authority can pursue full payment from any of the jointly liable
people. This means each person can be pursued for the entire
amount, not just their individual share.
The Scottish Government is currently undertaking a statutory
review of how joint and several liability rules impact people who
have experience domestic abuse. It recognises survivors can be
jointly liable for council tax alongside an abusive partner who
refuses to pay or has built up debt without the survivor's
knowledge (coerced debt).
