Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Office, what steps her Department is taking to protect individuals from abusive partners during the covid-19 lockdown.

We are working closely with domestic abuse charities, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and police to monitor the impact of covid-19 on incidents of domestic abuse.

The Government has posted advice regarding national helplines on gov.uk to guide victims to the most appropriate support for their individual needs. This has been extensively promoted through our awareness raising campaign #YouAreNotAlone.

The Home Office has provided £2m of funding including to help bolster such helplines at this time; £1.2m of this has been allocated. This is in addition to the £750 million funding package announced by the Chancellor, £76 million of which will support survivors of?domestic abuse, sexual violence and modern slavery?as well as ensure that vulnerable children and young people continue to get the help they need. From this funding the HO launched a £2m fund for national and regionally based domestic abuse organisations, bids to which are currently being assessed.