I have today welcomed the Government’s decision to increase support for victims of domestic abuse in the constituency, by providing Hillingdon and Harrow Councils with funding to help victims recover and rebuild their lives. I am pleased to announce that Hillingdon Council will receive 37,221 and Harrow Council £35,230 respectively.
This funding, which is part of a nationwide rollout to local authorities across England, will ensure that safe accommodation spaces, such as refuges and shelters, can provide victims with vital support services including healthcare, social workers and benefits.
Interpreters, immigration advice, drug or alcohol support and other specialist services will also be funded and made available so that anyone who flees their home gets the help they need.
I am pleased that both Hillingdon and Harrow Councils will be able to increase the support they can offer victims of domestic abuse and their children to help start again - with better services such as healthcare, social workers and benefits. It will also allow them to choose how the funding is spent to match local priorities and benefit those in need.
The Government also announced that it will consult on current housing rules, with the aim of giving victims more choice on where they rebuild their lives. By removing Local Connection Tests for abuse victims, this could help victims apply to social housing outside their local area, escaping the community their abuser lives in. Combined with the Government’s landmark Domestic Abuse Act, we are helping victims escape their abusers and making sure that perpetrators feel the full force of the law.
Domestic abuse is a horrific crime, and we must do everything we can to help victims recover and rebuild their lives, and that is why I have welcomed this announcement.
