Funding proposals for Supported Housing

Under new government plans to change funding for women’s domestic violence refuges, many could face closure or be forced to reduce the number of people that they help. These services are essential for women and children escaping domestic violence with nowhere to go and at risk of harm. Domestic violence refuges are already facing a massive lack of funding.

Women’s Aid, a charity which supports survivors of domestic abuse every year, has warned that this could lead to many more women and children being turned away from refuges each year. In the last year 60% of those who tried to access a refuge had to be turned away and if these proposals go ahead the situation could be dire.

Katie Ghose, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, said that move would dismantle our national network of lifesaving refuges and put the lives of women and children trying to escape domestic abuse at risk

On average, two women a week are killed by a partner or ex-partner in England and Wales. Under the current spending model, Women’s Aid found 94 women with 90 children were turned away from refuge services in one day.

The government have just opened a consultation asking for the public opinion on the new funding plans. We’ve created a activist letter to make it easy to respond and help to convince the government to scrap the plans in their current form.