Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to increase accessibility to public services for victims of domestic abuse who have no recourse to public funds.

This Government remains committed to transforming the response to domestic abuse.

Victims of domestic abuse are treated first and foremost as victims. Non -British victims residing in the UK are able to apply for support from authorities, many of whom will have statutory obligations to support victims.

For individuals in the UK who are married, or partners of, British or settled sponsors and who claim to be victims of abuse, there is the option of applying for immediate crisis support under the Destitute Domestic Violence Concession (DDVC). In addition, funding has been made available via the tampon tax, to support a range of support networks. In March of this year, a further £1,090,000 was made available to specifically to be used to provide safe accommodation, and other support functions.

The new Domestic Abuse Bill will be the platform for delivering changes to support victims and will enable victims to have the ability and confidence to report these crimes. We will carefully consider recommendations from the Joint Scrutiny Committee about reviewing the scope of the DDVC and look forward to seeing report from the Joint Committee on the draft Bill. We will also want to consider the evidence – both written and oral – submitted to the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill and any recommendations made by that Committee. We are not complacent about our responses to domestic abuse, and strive to see what more can be done.