Women’s Aid respond to Ministry of Justice funding allocation for victims services
Isabelle Younane, Head of External Affairs at Women’s Aid, said:
“The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced last week they will protect funding to victims of violence against women and girls (VAWG) crimes for the next financial year. While Women’s Aid welcome the commitment, this “flat cash” settlement does not account for the greater funding needed due to increased demand, inflation, and the rising employer national insurance contributions, all of which are creating challenges for the specialist organisations that support survivors.
Although it is positive that the VAWG funding allocation from the MoJ are protected until 2026/27, there is a concerning 4.2% reduction to the overall core funding for victims allocated to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). We know that a portion of these core costs are typically also spent on supporting victims of VAWG and domestic abuse and are essential for supporting survivors and preventing further abuse. We understand that the Minister for Victims and VAWG, Alex Davies-Jones MP, had written to the PCCs asking them to protect funding for VAWG survivors within the reduced core grant but they are under no obligation to do this, leaving survivors in a precarious situation.
Uncertainty for local specialist domestic abuse services is also going to be amplified by the amalgamation of two ring-fenced funding pots for PCCs – (1) domestic abuse and sexual violence CBS funding, and (2) IDVA and ISVA funding. This will mean PCCs have more discretion to disperse funding based on what they determine the ‘local need’ to be. The inconsistent commissioning landscape for specialist domestic abuse services is already resulting a postcode lottery of support for victims and survivors, and this decision to further increase PCCs’ discretion without increased national oversight could serve to hinder this further.
On a more positive note, subject to a consultation, an additional £20 million will be invested into the legal aid sector. If fully implemented, this will make sure vulnerable people forced into unfair housing legal battles and at risk of losing their home have access to legal advice. The investment will also support lawyers who provide advice to victims of modern slavery and trafficking, and domestic abuse. This is intended to help ensure that the most vulnerable are better able to navigate a complex legal system and get access to justice. While this is incredibly overdue, we agree with the government reforms to the courts are critical and also encourage the government to make wider reform to legal aid. It remains a priority for Women’s Aid for the means test to be removed for survivors of domestic abuse, who often cannot afford to pay for representation after experiencing years of economic abuse.”
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