Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ spending review was a missed opportunity to address the estimated £307m shortfall in spending on violence against women and girls (VAWG) say Refuge in a scathing attack on the government’s commitment to halve violence against women and girls within the next decade.
“Today’s Spending Review should have marked a defining moment for the Government’s pledge to Yet, this critical opportunity was missed, with the Chancellor failing to mention domestic abuse or VAWG when setting out the Spending Review.”
said Gemma Sherrington, CEO of Refuge. She added budget cuts to the Home Office, the department responsible for tackling VAWG; and to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which plays a key role in commissioning specialist services for survivors was ‘not just deeply disappointing’ but raised concerns over the government’s commitment to addressing VAWG.
The £307m estimate comes from a calculation made by Women’s Aid which includes a shortfall of £62m for refuge services and £212m for community-based services.
As anticipated, there was funding for the courts system to the tune of up to £450m additional investment per year by 2028-29, compared to 2025-26, to increase Crown Court sitting days to record levels and tackle court backlogs The probation service will receive up to £700m additional funding per year by 2028-29, compared to 2025-26, to deliver ‘transformative reforms to sentencing based on the recommendations of the Independent Sentencing Review’; and £7bn will go to creating 14,000 new prison places. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will receive ‘record’ investment to recruit more Crown Advocates and frontline staff to prosecute cases, build workforce capacity and capability, and improve the quality and efficiency of prosecutions with total funding of £1 billion in 2028‑29.
“Refuge has been clear: if the Government is serious about its pledge to halve VAWG, it must back that commitment with sufficient funding. This includes not only direct investment in lifesaving VAWG services such as refuge accommodation, but also sufficient resources for the public services responsible for delivering on that promise. While increased police spending, investment in probation services, and funding to tackle the severe courts backlog are welcome, make no mistake: these efforts still fall far short of the co-ordinated investment required to prevent VAWG. The pledge alone will not protect women and girls from the epidemic of violence and abuse we are witnessing. Without adequate, sustained funding, the Government risks failing the millions who are impacted by VAWG every year.”
added Sherrington.
“Enough is enough – women and girls deserve more than empty promises. Every two minutes, someone turns to Refuge for support, and this demand is only increasing. While attention now turns to individual departments to prioritise VAWG, the message from today’s Spending Review is clear: halving violence against women and girls is not the priority the Government claims it to be.”
Law Society of England and Wales president Richard Atkinson said the spending review provided ‘hope that the justice system is a growing priority for the government’.
“Funding this essential public service is vital for a fair and just society. However, all parts of the justice system have been starved of investment for decades. It will take long-term sustained funding to fix it, including in civil and criminal legal aid to address the crises there.
“The consequences of the neglect are plain for all to see. There are crumbling court rooms and antiquated IT systems, huge backlogs delaying criminal court cases to 2029 and thousands of children in legal limbo due to family court delays. Prisons are overcrowded and there are chronic shortages of legal aid lawyers.
“Families, victims and business need justice to be prioritised. The government must invest across the system, reducing pressure on the courts, by focusing on early advice and out of court resolution. We also need proper funding of solutions that will reduce the prison population and improve rehabilitation to break the cycle of reoffending.
“We can only maintain our reputation as a global legal centre and the legal sector continue to be a crucial part of the UK’s economy if the justice system is properly funded.”
