Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing a period of respite for victims of domestic abuse to seek legal advice before deciding whether to access the destitution domestic violence concession; and if he will make a statement.

This Government remains committed to tackling incidents of domestic abuse.

We have consulted on what more can be done to protect domestic abuse victims through a 12-week public consultation exercise that closed on 31 May.

We are currently analysing the 3,200 plus responses received and will carefully consider what future courses of action are necessary. The existing Destitute Domestic Violence Concession (DDVC) provides eligible individuals with a period of three months’ leave outside the immigration rules, allowing them to seek legal advice or other support.