Burton and Uttoxeter’s MP, Kate Griffiths, has helped push to secure a £10million funding package for charities who support victims of domestic abuse, sexual violence and victims of modern slavery.
The £10 million package announced this week by the Communities Secretary, Robert Jenrick, will be given to charities specifically to help provide safe accommodation to victims and their children in these unprecedented times. This money comes on top of the £76 million announced earlier this month to support victims of domestic abuse as part of the Government’s campaign to urge victims to come forward in asking for help and might be feeling trapped at home. A further £6 million has also been made available for homelessness charities to ensure rough sleepers are housed and protected from COVID-19.
Shortly into the Coronavirus pandemic, Kate wrote to local support organisations for domestic abuse victims to give them her full backing and to offer help in any way. In response, Kate wrote to the Communities Secretary calling for more funding to help them with the costs of accommodating victims and their children safely.
Last week Kate was also poised to ask a Prime Minister’s Question about making more funding available to accommodate rough sleepers and to ensure this continues after the pandemic is over. Although, time ran out to ask the question at PMQs, Kate subsequently wrote to the Communities Secretary who has since announced this funding.
Kate said, “This is a difficult time for many people but for some staying at home can be a danger in itself. Over the past few weeks we have seen a rise in victims of domestic abuse reaching out for help, so I am pleased the Government have listened to colleagues and myself to bring forward more funding for housing vulnerable people in this horrible situation.
It is also the case that the Government and local authorities have moved very quickly to provide temporary accommodation to the homeless. This is welcome as is the funding and I will be continuing to call on the Government for this situation to continue beyond this health crisis”.
The Government’s Domestic Abuse Bill is currently going through Parliament which will place a new duty on local councils to commission support to victims and their children in safe accommodation.
The Government has said it will now work quickly to ensure this funding reaches domestic abuse charities by the end of May with more details on the homelessness fund to be announced shortly.
