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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the petition by 38 degrees calling for rent money for women and children in domestic violence refuges to be paid directly to their refuges rather than to the relevant local authority.

The Government is currently consulting on housing costs for short term supported accommodation – deadline 23 January 2018. The consultation document can be found here at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/funding-for-supported-housing

We have also committed to review the locally led approach to refuge provision in our Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. This review will cover funding for refuges, including the critical care and support costs, and will take place by November 2018 so that our findings can be taken into consideration prior to implementing the new funding model for short term supported housing in 2020.

We are continuing to explore all options for future delivery of refuge services, including a national model for refuges.