Domestic abuse victims to receive ‘flee funds’ of up to £2,500 to help escape abusive partners

9 January 2024, 10:00 | Updated: 9 January 2024, 10:01

Hundreds of domestic abuse survivors are set to receive payments of up to £2,500 under a new government scheme.

The scheme has been set up for those who are unable to escape abusive partners or are forced to return to them because they cannot afford essentials.

In a pilot scheme launched last year, 600 victims were given £250 or £500, which 80% of people used to escape to a safe location, as well as to buy essentials such as food and nappies.

The £2m scheme is funded by the Home Office and will be delivered by Women’s Aid charities.

Safeguarding Minister Laura Farris said the initiative has been set up to provide confidence to those who feel stuck in abusive relationships.

"The most common reasons preventing people leaving a relationship are a lack of money, the strong fear of reprisals or being found in the future and concern about their kids - can you take them with you, how are you going to pay for everything?" Ms Farris told Sky News.

"The point of this cash injection is to give them the security and confidence to make that first move to leave the relationship, and then a more substantial amount to get back on their feet, as they pay for those first few months of rental accommodation and look for a job.”

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“Flee funds” will be distributed to those across England and Wales, and also include an additional £2,500 payment for those who need to pay a rental deposit or bills.

In the year to March 2023, there were 2.1 million victims of domestic abuse, with calls to domestic abuse charities soaring to above pre-pandemic levels.

Labour has backed the new initiative, although Shadow Home Officer Minister Alex Davies-Jones hit out at the falling prosecution rates for domestic abusers since 2015.

Nicole Jacobs, the domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales, hailed the scheme as she said it would be a “lifeline for many victims”.

Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women's Aid, said: "When we worked on the pilot of the fund in May last year, we saw immediately the impact this was having on survivors - over 75% of applicants used their grant to replace or purchase essential goods for themselves or their children, after they had fled their abuser with nothing to their name."