Housing: Domestic Abuse

(asked on 27th January 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Homes First pilots, what steps he is taking to help ensure women who have experienced domestic violence can reside in their own home, rather than in hostel provision.


Answered by
Eddie Hughes Portrait
Eddie Hughes
This question was answered on 4th February 2022

Housing First has an impressive international record in helping people with complex needs, including victims of domestic abuse, to recover and stay off the streets for good, which is why we awarded £28 million to pilot it in three areas


Home should be a place of love and safety but for many people in this country this is sadly not the case.

Our aim is always that the victim and children stay in their home; if anyone has to leave, it should be the abuser. However, that this is not always possible and in cases when a victim and their children must flee, there must be a safe place to go.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 gives those who are homeless as a result of being a victim of domestic abuse priority need for accommodation secured by the local authority. This will help to ensure victims do not remain with their abuser for fear of not having a roof over their head.

For 2022/2023, local authorities have been allocated £316 million Homelessness Prevention Grant, as announced in December 2021. This includes £5.8 million funding to cover the cost of extending priority need to those who are made homeless as a result of being victim to domestic abuse.

The Act also placed new duties on local authorities, which came into force on 1 October 2021, to ensure that victims and their children across England can access the right support in safe accommodation when they need it. This includes supporting victims in Sanctuary Schemes which provide enhanced physical security measures to a domestic abuse victim's own home where it is safe for them to stay at home.

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