Social Rented Housing: Domestic Abuse
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press release entitled Vulnerable people given greater access to social housing, published on 19 June 2025, whether the new regulations will apply to victims of (a) child abuse and (b) parent-on-child violence.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook
The regulations in question will apply to domestic abuse victims over the age of 16, as defined by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. Only those aged over the age of 16 can hold a social housing tenancy.
The regulations will also apply to care leavers within the scope of the corporate parenting duty. These include eligible children, relevant children, and former relevant children.
Local authorities have the discretion to exempt and support those not covered by these regulations, considering local need and special circumstances.
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