Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps is she taking to support those fleeing domestic abuse in the context of the cost-of-living crisis.

Tackling domestic abuse is a priority for this Government. A central part of this is making sure victims and survivors get the support they need.

The Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan, which we published in March, invests over £230 million, including over £140 million specifically for supporting victims and survivors.

The commitments it made include doubling funding for the National Domestic Abuse Helpline. And with the Ministry of Justice, we committed to provide multi-year funding for support services. This will offer more stability and consistency for service users, as services will not be dependent on yearly grants. It will help to ensure delivery of high-quality support throughout any increases in the cost of living.

The Plan also committed to establish trials of a ‘flexible fund’, which charities could use to provide extra money to victims and survivors in light of cost of living pressures. This money could be used to help them flee an abuser.