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Sector leaders launch initiative to help housing providers offer homes to domestic abuse survivors
Key sector leaders have launched a new scheme that brings together housing providers and refuges to ensure more homes are provided to individuals fleeing domestic abuse.
The Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA), Women’s Aid, the National Housing Federation (NHF) and the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), have published advice setting out what providers can do to ensure more empty properties are offered to domestic abuse survivors.
The advice encourages housing associations to talk to local authorities about any homes that may be suitable for households moving out of domestic abuse refuges.
Landlords are also advised to get in contact with local refuges directly by using the Domestic Abuse Directory collated by Women’s Aid.
The guidance comes amid reports that there has been a surge in incidences of domestic abuse during the coronavirus lockdown.
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This has led to increased pressures on refuges, with research by Women’s Aid finding that an average of just 97 refuge vacancies were posted in the first seven weeks of lockdown in England, compared with 183 for the same period in 2019.
According to the charity, six out of 10 women who needed a refuge space were not able to get it even before lockdown started.
Gudrun Burnet, co-founder of DAHA, said: “The pandemic has made it even harder for survivors to secure spaces at refuges, which are unable to move current occupants on to permanent housing.
“The best practice guidelines we are releasing today for housing providers and refuges nationwide will help remove these blockages and make sure nobody who needs to leave an unsafe home is left stranded.”
Kate Henderson, chief executive of the NHF, said: “It is more important than ever that there is enough move-on accommodation available for those ready to leave refuges, ensuring they have a safe and permanent home and freeing up places for recent survivors.
“As providers of the majority of social and supported housing in England, housing associations are committed to working with their partners to make more permanent homes available for survivors of domestic abuse, and we are pleased to be working with DAHA, Women’s Aid and the CIH to make this happen.”
Gavin Smart, chief executive of the CIH, said: “The housing sector has already shown its determination to play its role in ending domestic abuse through its support for the Make a Stand campaign.
“We know that the issue of move on accommodation for women and families escaping abuse is critically important, given the shortage of refuge places, and this situation has only been made worse by the increase in incidences of domestic abuse during lockdown.
“More than ever it is important that we all work together to provide as much move on accommodation as possible.”
