A new proposal from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will now make it easier for domestic abuse victims to move away from perpetrators and live safely.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 currently places a legal duty on local councils to fund support in safe accommodation for all victims and their families.

However, ministers are currently consulting on plans to scrap the so-called ‘local connection’ test, which can stop survivors from applying for social housing if they do not have a connection to a local area, which could potentially force them to live in the same community as their abuser.

The proposal will also consider changes to current rules that make it difficult for victims to remove their perpetrators from joint tenancies, which can mean victims either feel forced to stay in their home or are at risk of being made homeless by their abuser.

The department announced further funding for councils to help domestic abuse survivors and their children, which will ensure that safe accommodation spaces such as refuges and shelters can provide victims with vital support services including healthcare, social workers and benefits.

Interpreters, immigration advice, drug or alcohol support and other specialist services will also be made available within grants to local councils, which will then be responsible for making decisions on how the funding is spent to benefit those in need.

Measures extending the length of time domestic abuse victims have to report a crime were also added to the proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill in January, which will extend the timeframe for a charge to be brought against someone for common assault or battery from six months to two years.

The number of domestic abuse crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales in the year ending March 2021 increased by 6%, with the demand on domestic abuse helplines rising by 22%.

Commenting on the consultation, Nicole Jacobs, the domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales, said: “It is vital that victims and survivors can access safe housing regardless of their tenure type. That means staying safely in their own home if they want to, as well as being able to access housing in a new area if they are no longer safe where they live.”

“Refuge welcomes these two consultations, as an opportunity to remove some of the barriers survivors currently face when it comes to housing,” the charity’s CEO Ruth Davison told Stylist. “It is vital that survivors of domestic abuse can access safe and longer-term housing in an area of their choosing and are supported to rebuild their lives.

“Refuge is calling for the ‘local connection’ test to be scrapped so that survivors can be supported to rebuild their lives in a safe area away from their perpetrators. Survivors should not be denied access to social housing because they have no local connection to an area when they have often had no choice but to uproot their lives because it is simply not safe for them to remain in an area with the perpetrator.”

“It’s important that support is available for survivors who wish to remain in their own home and Refuge welcomes this opportunity to work with the government to remove the barriers that currently exist around joint tenancies.

“The funding announced today to support the duty on local authorities to fund emergency safe accommodation is gratefully received and vital but currently the £125 million pledged falls way short of the estimated £181 million per year needed to ensure funding matches need. We need to ensure that no woman or child is turned away from accessing safety.”

In the UK, the domestic violence helpline is 0808 2000 247. Alternatively, contact Women’s Aid or Refuge for advice and support. 

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