Clive Betts comment on Government announcement of legal duty to support victims of domestic abuse

“We welcome the Government’s intention to implement new measures to provide accommodation based support for victims of domestic abuse and their children. It is right the national and local government does all it can to help these victims escape dangerous environments. The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee urged reform in its report into Future of Supported Housing and we are pleased the Government has reacted.

“However, simply placing a new obligation on local authorities will not be enough without adequate funding. If it results in further financial pressures on front-line services, and reduces the ability to fund preventative programmes, then it will not be as effective as it should be.

“In our report, the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee called for dedicated funding to support a national network of refuges for women and children, separate from other forms of social housing. In the consultation announced today, we expect the Government to work with refuge providers to provide a robust system that tackles these unique challenges.

“No victims should be turned away from accessing critical support and this must be the starting point of all their policy and funding decisions.”