§ Mr. ByersTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he will take to increase the provision of accommodation available to women victims of domestic violence. [130038]
§ Yvette CooperThe Government are committed to increasing the full range of accommodation options for victims of domestic violence including more refuges and better help to support victims to stay in their own homes if appropriate. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is investing £8.9 million this financial year in refuge provision and an additional £9.9 million has been allocated by the Housing Corporation. The money is being used by Registered Social Landlords, in partnership with local refuge providers and local authorities to provide 273 units of accommodation in all regions in England. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has also committed £7 million in each of the next two financial years towards similar projects which will also be administered through the Housing Corporation.
In addition, the Supporting People programme enables local authorities to provide housing related support services for victims of domestic violence. This year £34 million has been allocated to domestic violence schemes including accommodation and non-accommodation based services.
Domestic violence can be a significant cause of homelessness. Under the homelessness legislation, people who are vulnerable as a result of fleeing their home because of violence (including domestic violence) have a priority need for accommodation. Moreover, all local housing authorities in England are now required to have a strategy for preventing homelessness in the district and ensuring that accommodation and any necessary support are available for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. All authorities were required to have a homelessness strategy in place by 30 July 2003. The Homelessness Directorate is providing £260 million between 2003–04 and 2005–06 in support of local housing authorities' efforts to tackle homelessness. A number of authorities are using funding to improve the support available to victims of domestic violence in order to prevent homelessness among this client group.