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The link between welfare reform and domestic abuse

As support for domestic abuse victims stands at a crossroads, there are steps housing providers can take, writes Martin Hilditch

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The link between welfare reform and domestic abuse, by @MartinHilditch #ukhousing

Now is the time to for housing providers to help combat domestic abuse, writes @martinhilditch #ukhousing

At the end of last week up to 100 people attended an event badged as “the first ever Domestic Abuse and Housing Conference”.

The event was organised by Alison Inman, president of the Chartered Institute of Housing, who has made helping domestic abuse victims her central mission since taking up the role last year.

There are huge positives to be taken from the amount of activity and attention that has resulted from this focus.

Before coming to that, it is worth taking a few moments to remember that these are worrying times when it comes to the relationship between domestic abuse and the housing and benefits system.


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Planned changes to the funding of supported housing left many refuges facing an uncertain future – and the government is now carrying out a review of women’s refuge provision across the country, which is due to report back in the autumn.

Then there’s Universal Credit (UC).

This week’s announcement by the Work and Pensions Committee that it is to hold an inquiry into the impact of the way UC payments are made on survivors of domestic abuse marks a long-overdue step forward (given this has been flagged for many years).

Nonetheless, finally there will be detailed scrutiny that will provide new evidence about how the reforms are playing out in practice.

"The withholding of funds by the paid partner can make it difficult for victims to leave abusive relationships"

For the uninitiated it is worth recapping quite why Universal Credit might be such a big deal for people suffering from domestic abuse.

Basically, the rules mean that if couples make a joint claim, they received a single payment into one account.

If you haven’t spotted the potential pitfall yet you probably work for the Department for Work and Pensions – which seems reason enough to spell it out.

As the committee states, the withholding of funds by the paid partner can make it difficult for victims to leave abusive relationships.

While survivors of domestic abuse can request that payments be made separately, there are real concerns that this option would put them at further risk, because partners are notified of the change to their online account.

Getting help can be pretty tricky as it stands anyway. A report by Women’s Aid last year found that 19% of the survivors supported by caseworkers from a project called No Woman Turned Away had been prevented by councils from making a valid homeless application. Eight women were told to return to the perpetrator and three were told to come back when the situation got worse.

If you are reading this there are steps you can take. That could be by providing evidence for the Work and Pensions Committee about the impact of UC, or continuing to lobby about future refuge provision. Or it could be by refreshing training for frontline staff, such as repairs operatives, to look out for signs of abuse.

Or, considering a first disclosure of domestic abuse is such a big step, making sure that homelessness staff don’t turn down applications or ask victims to return with a crime reference number (when some will be reluctant to report it to the police because it could make their situation worse).

Provision for domestic abuse victims stands at a crossroads. Now is the time for housing providers to help drive change.

Martin Hiditch, managing editor, Inside Housing

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