Domestic Abuse
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department provides training for faith-based organisations on (a) recognising potential signs of domestic violence and (b) supporting victims.
Answered by Natalie Fleet
We understand the importance of specialist and ‘by and for’, including faith-based, services in providing the tailored support that victims and survivors of VAWG need to survive and thrive.
In 2025/26 the Home Office invested over £20m to support victims of violence against women and girls (VAWG). This included £2.67m for a Flexible Fund, administered by Women’s Aid Federation England, which offers direct cash payments to victims fleeing abuse across England and Wales via a consortium of over 470+ services – including those that are faith-based. We also invested over £6m into specialist helplines to support victims in their time of greatest need.
As announced in the Strategy, this Government will expand Home Office investment in a range of helpline services that provide support to victims and survivors, their families, and professionals, including tailored helplines for specific communities who require more specific support. We will also deliver a fund to provide specialist advocacy provision across England and Wales, including ‘by and for’ provision. This will improve the offer for victims and survivors who have additional barriers to seeking support.
The Home Office continues to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including faith groups, to ensure that victims from all backgrounds are able to access support services safely and appropriately. To improve the commissioning of services in future, we will also publish a new national statement on commissioning with clear definitions of ‘by-and-for’ and specialist services, including faith-based services, helping funders allocate funding more effectively.
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