In his latest column, MP Robert Largan writes about additional government support for services in the High Peak which support victims of domestic abuse.

Domestic abuse is a horrific crime. For victims and their families, home is not the safe place it should be. Unfortunately, the pandemic made it harder for many to escape their abusers and access the support they needed. We must now do everything we can to help them recover and restart their lives.

I therefore warmly welcome the Government’s decision to give councils £125 million to provide vital support services to domestic abuse victims in 2022–23, taking the total support to date to £330 million.

Importantly, this includes £1,475,275 for Derbyshire County Council, and £32,013 for High Peak Borough Council.

The extra investment will play an important role in funding healthcare, social work, benefits, interpreters, immigration advice, and other specialist services—so that victims of domestic abuse can access the support they need to turn their lives around.

With this extra funding, councils will be able to choose locally what priorities should receive investment and benefit those in their own communities in dire need.

In High Peak, I am proud to support Crossroads Derbyshire, a fantastic local charity which works tirelessly to support victims of abuse. I look forward to working with them and local councils to ensure that this much-needed extra funding is used in the most effective way.

The Government have also announced that it will consult on existing social housing rules, with the aim of giving victims a greater say in their relocation and re-establishment of their daily lives.

Currently, local authorities prioritise applicants who can demonstrate a close association with their local area. Removing local connection tests for abuse victims could help them apply for social housing outside of their immediate area and allow them to escape the community their abuser lives in too.

This work follows the passing of the landmark Domestic Abuse Act 2021, which defines domestic abuse in law; strengthens protections for victims; and tackles perpetrators at an earlier stage.

In addition, the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill, currently working through Parliament, will give victims of domestic abuse longer to report offences to the police, so that abusers are made to feel the full force of the law.

Taken together, these measures will revolutionise our response to domestic abuse. The prosecution of offenders will be easier and sentences longer, with victims given access to a broader range of support services to help rebuild their lives.

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