Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what information his Department holds on how much money was paid for councils to support domestic violence refuge shelters for domestic abuse victims (a) employed but not in receipt of benefits, (b) unemployed and not in receipt of benefits and (c) with no access to funds in each of the last five years.

As set out previously, since 2020 the Department has provided £393.9 million in funding to local councils for the provision of support in domestic abuse safe accommodation - £16.6 million in 2020/21, £125 million in both 2021/22 and 2022/23 and £127.3 million for 2023/24. The links can be found here.

In addition, we have committed to a further £129.7 million for the delivery of these duties in 2024/25. The link can be found here.

This funding is for support which is available to all domestic abuse victims who are residing in refuges and other types of safe accommodation regardless of their employment status.

The Department does not hold employment and benefits data on individuals in domestic abuse safe accommodation services.