Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that survivors of domestic abuse with no recourse to public funds (a) are aware of their entitlements and (b) can access welfare.

This government understands the specific challenges that migrant victims of domestic abuse hold, particularly for those who have no recourse to public funds.

The Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession (MVDAC) provides partners here under the family, work or study Immigration Rules, who are victims of domestic abuse (and their dependants), with 3 months permission to stay in the UK without a no recourse to public funds (NRPF) condition. The concession enables victims and their dependants to access relevant support, arrange to leave the UK or apply to remain in a different immigration capacity.

There are also immediate settlement provisions for migrant victims of domestic abuse, under the Immigration Rules (Appendix Victim of Domestic Abuse (Appendix VDA)).

The government has recently uplifted the Support for Migrant Victims scheme, which helps migrant victims of domestic abuse with No Recourse to Public Funds, bringing the total investment to £2.4 million for 2025/26. The scheme, delivered by Southall Black Sisters, provides vital support, including accommodation, subsistence, counselling and legal advice.

Further information on support for victims of domestic abuse can be found on the Domestic abuse: how to get help page on GOV.UK.