National domestic abuse charity Refuge has said the government’s talk of an ongoing commitment to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade is ‘welcome’ but we need action, not words, as women are killed on a weekly basis.
The warning comes as the Government publishes its response to the Home Affairs select committee’s July ‘Tackling violence against women and girls: funding’ report which outlined the need for clear definitions of VAWG, additional funding and an understanding of success through measurable outcomes.
The response, published in the last week suggests the government is investing in supporting halving VAWG in the next decade; The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is increasing funding by £30 million this financial year (2025/26) in the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant, bringing the total investment to £160m. The Home Office has also announced a £19.9m investment to support thousands more victims of VAWG including £6m for specialist helplines to support victims of VAWG across England and Wales, £2m for a Flexible Fund, administered by Women’s Aid Federation In July 2025. A further £53m funding over four years will help support the roll out the Drive Project across England and Wales, which targets high-risk, high-harm, serial domestic abuse perpetrators and keep victims safe.
But Refuge say it doesn’t go far enough and ‘urgent, cross’ government funding’ is needed. They say the VAWG agenda is losing momentum; an accusation levelled at the government’s response to the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s ‘Victims in their own right? Babies, children and young people’s experience of domestic abuse’ survey of more than 260 domestic abuse services. Despite 66 recommendations which identified over half of services had experienced funding cuts, and over a quarter were turning children away from vital support because of funding shortages, the government say it intends to act, or points to work already in motion, on just 10 of the critical changes required.
Following the Government’s response to the Home Affairs Committee’s report on VAWG funding, Ellie Butt, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Refuge, said:
“The Government’s response to the recent Home Affairs Committee’s report on funding for VAWG services reinforces our concerns that efforts to address the epidemic of VAWG are losing momentum.
“We welcome the Government’s ongoing commitment to halving VAWG within the next decade, but when women are being killed on a weekly basis, we need action – not words. Sustainable funding for lifesaving support services is critical to achieving this goal. Yet, despite years of warnings from VAWG services, the Government has still not implemented a sufficient and transparent funding strategy. Chronic underfunding has left VAWG services operating on a knife edge – any further delay from the Government could push some services to breaking point. Without these vital services, survivors will be deprived of the essential support they deserve, placing their safety and lives in jeopardy.
“The Government has recognised the immense pressure on ‘by-and-for’ services, which are crucial in supporting Black and minoritised survivors. But recognition without real commitment to a national, ring-fenced funding pot – as recommended by the VAWG sector and the Home Affairs Committee – will once again leave marginalised survivors bearing the brunt of the Government’s inaction to keep these services afloat.
“Online VAWG and technology-facilitated abuse is increasing at unprecedented rates, meaning efforts to tackle this growing threat must be central to the Government’s upcoming VAWG strategy. The Committee also noted that the Government will only meet its pledge to halve VAWG with a greater focus on prevention, but we have yet to see tangible commitment to the Committee’s recommendation for ring-fenced funding for prevention work.
“Without sustained funding commitments of at least three to five years, vital services will remain chronically underfunded and overstretched, leaving survivors to navigate abuse and violence alone. The long-delayed VAWG strategy and the upcoming Autumn Budget must deliver the long-term investment needed to resolve this funding crisis. Only then can the Government ensure survivors’ access to lifesaving support.”
