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Written question asked by Sarah Hall (Labour) on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 19 March 2026. It was answered by Alison McGovern (Labour) on Tuesday, 24 March 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Domestic Abuse: Refuges

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for refuge accommodation under the Safe Accommodation Duty.

Answer

The Government is committed to ensuring victims of domestic abuse and their children can access the support in safe accommodation they need to rebuild their lives. This is part of the Government’s strategy to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls, with improved support for victims.

Under Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, local authorities must assess the need for and provide support to victims and their children in safe accommodation. It is for each local authority to determine the right mix of safe accommodation, including refuges, dispersed accommodation, and sanctuary schemes (in which a victim’s own home is made safe) to meet local needs. To support delivery, MHCLG provided authorities in England with £160 million in 2025/26, a £30 million uplift from the previous year. In the recent Local Government Finance Settlement, MHCLG committed to increase investment by a further £19 million to £499 million over the next three years.

The department collects data on the number of refuge bedspaces and the number of individuals supported in safe accommodation. This data is published annually, the most recent data is available here: Support in domestic abuse safe accommodation: 2024 to 2025 - GOV.UK.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
121564
Session
2024-26
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Finance Domestic abuse Refuges
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk