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Domestic abuse agencies are demanding social housing providers to prioritise survivors when allocating homes, amid reports that incidences of abuse are rising during the coronavirus lockdown.
Safer London, Homefinder UK and the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) are leading the call to action, with support from the National Housing Federation, National Federation of ALMOs and a number of leading domestic abuse charities.
Alongside prioritising domestic abuse survivors in social housing lettings, the organisations are calling on landlords to support refuges by offering move-on accommodation.
Social landlords are also being encouraged to identify domestic abuse during engagements with residents and raise awareness on how domestic abuse support services may be accessed.
The National Domestic Abuse Helpline has reported a 50% increase in calls since the start of lockdown.
Charities have been calling on the government to do more to help domestic abuse survivors who are stuck living with their perpetrator due to a lack of alternative accommodation options.
Earlier this month the government announced that domestic abuse survivors are to be given priority need for housing, meaning councils will have a duty to house anyone fleeing domestic abuse.
The call to action comes as the government this week issued new advice telling social landlords that lettings can resume during the pandemic, having previously said that only “essential” moves, such as those involving people fleeing domestic abuse, could go ahead.
Brenda Fraser, manager at Homefinder UK, said: “The severity of the calls we [have received] since the coronavirus outbreak is unlike anything we’ve seen before.
“There is a real crisis which will lead to more deaths, an increase in mental health issues like depression, anxiety and PTSD [Post-traumatic stress disorder].
“We increasingly hear from victims who are trapped at home with their perpetrator during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are locked in and controlled 24/7 without any outlet.”
DAHA said: “Prior to COVID-19, there was already an urgent need to increase the supply of genuinely affordable, safe and stable accommodation to support move on from refuge services and from the homes that people living with domestic abuse are fleeing from.
“Urgent planning and preparation is needed now to effectively address the current need and anticipated increase in demand for housing once lockdown lifts.”
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