Today, the House of Lords Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Committee has
published its call for evidence in its
inquiry considering the effective operation of the Act and
whether it is meeting its policy objectives.
The Committee is keen to hear from a diverse range of individuals
and organisations on topics including;
- The extent to which the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 has proved
effective in its aims and whether there are any gaps in its
provisions;
- Children as victims of domestic abuse;
- The statutory definition of domestic abuse;
- The effectiveness of local authorities, statutory bodies and
multi-agency working in tackling domestic abuse, including
exploring collaborative working
- Examining the effectiveness of the Domestic Abuse
Commissioner
- How domestic abuse is handled by the Police and the Courts
Read the full call for evidence and
find out how to make a submission. The deadline for submission of
written evidence is 10am Monday 20 April 2026.
Please note that the Committee is unable to consider or
assist with individual cases of domestic abuse. In the event of
an emergency, please contact the
police. The Government also has a list
of helplines and
websites that may be able to help.
Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws, who chairs the cross-party
Committee said:
“The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 was introduced in order to address
the range of behaviours that could constitute offences and be
committed in various ways that are not necessarily always
physical violence. This includes, but is not limited to coercive
or controlling behaviour and economic abuse. It also recognised
children as victims of domestic abuse where they witness it and
experience the effects of abuse.
“It has now been four years since the implementation of the Act
and it is clear that while it is well intentioned and was a
milestone piece of legislation at the time of its passing, there
are gaps in its effective implementation that need to be
addressed. Most notably it seems that there are regional and
ethnic disparities in enforcement and support available for
victims resulting in a post-code lottery situation in relation to
accessing necessary resources such as housing and shelters, to
name a few.
“We want to hear about any issues encountered by those with lived
experience of domestic abuse and also from agencies and
organisations that are tasked with tackling this issue. We're
interested in hearing about what is working well, what could be
improved and suggested solutions, especially in regard to
multi-agency working and implementing best practise to ensure
victims receive high quality and useful support wherever they may
reside or whatever their ethnic make-up.
“We look forward to hearing from a diverse range of individuals
and organisations and will aim to produce a report with practical
and deliverable recommendations once the inquiry is concluded.”
