Domestic abuse: specialist sources of support
Updated 18 June 2021
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/domestic-abuse-get-help-for-specific-needs-or-situations/domestic-abuse-specialist-sources-of-support
Specialist support services
| Organisation | Contact |
|---|---|
| Galop’s National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline - support and advice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans+ people who have experienced abuse | 0800 999 5428 help@galop.org.uk |
| Hourglass - support and information for older people and those concerned about an older person experiencing abuse or exploitation | 0808 808 8141 Live chat |
| IKWRO Women’s Rights Organisation - support for Middle Eastern, North African and Afghan survivors | 020 7920 6460 Out-of-hours emergencies Kurdish/Arabic/English: 07846 275246 Farsi/Dari/English: 07846 310157 |
| Jewish Women’s Aid | 0808 801 0500 |
| Latin American Women’s Rights Service - support for Latin American women | 0808 145 4909 Monday to Friday 11am to 1pm info@lawrs.org.uk |
| Muslim Women’s Network | 0800 999 5786 0303 999 5786 info@mwnhelpline.co.uk |
| SignHealth - support for deaf people and those with hearing loss in British Sign Language (BSL) | 020 3947 2601 Text: 07970 350366 da@signhealth.org.uk |
| Stay Safe East - support for disabled survivors of domestic abuse | 020 8519 7241 Text: 07587 134 122 enquiries@staysafe-east.org.uk |
| Southall Black Sisters - support for gender-related abuse against Asian and African-Caribbean survivors | 020 8571 9595 Web form |
| Victim Support community-based domestic abuse services |
Web form Live chat My Support Space |
Get help for children and young people
Experiencing domestic abuse can have a serious impact on a child’s long-term health. It is a top priority that vulnerable children and young people remain safe during this uncertain period. If you are concerned that a child is at risk of harm, you should refer this information to children’s social care, or to the police if you believe the child is in immediate danger.
If you are a teacher, or work at a school, Operation Encompass is a police and education safeguarding partnership which enables schools to offer immediate support to children experiencing domestic abuse.
For free advice from an education psychologist on how best to support children experiencing domestic abuse, call the Operation Encompass Teachers’ National Helpline on 020 4513 9990.
If you are a young person, and adults around you are affected by domestic abuse, this can also affect you. If you are a young person who is experiencing domestic abuse in your own relationship, this is called teen relationship abuse. There is support available for you on both domestic abuse and teen relationship abuse.
| Organisation | Contact |
|---|---|
| NSPCC helpline - advice and support for anyone with concerns about a child | 0808 800 5000 help@nspcc.org.uk |
| Childline - help and support for children and young people | 0800 1111 |
| The Children’s Society – guidance for young people on both domestic abuse and teen relationship abuse | |
| Barnardo’s - support for families affected by domestic abuse | |
| Family Lives - support through online forums | |
| Rights of Women - guidance about child contact arrangements relating to coronavirus | |
| Victim Support children and young people support and community-based services and community-based services for the whole family | Live chat |
If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can contact the NSPCC via SignVideo using your webcam. SignVideo, using British Sign Language, is available on PC, Mac, iOS (iPhone/iPad) and Android smartphones (4.2 or above). This service is available Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm and Saturdays from 8am to 1pm.
Adolescent to parent violence (APV)
Domestic abuse also covers abuse between family members, such as adolescent to parent violence and abuse.
If you are a kinship carer looking after a child who can no longer live with their birth parents and are experiencing domestic abuse you can get help and advice.
| Organisation | Contact |
|---|---|
| Kinship - supports kinship carers raising children who aren’t able to live with their parents | 0300 123 7015 advice@kinship.org.uk |
| Family Rights Group - independent specialist help and advice for parents and kinship carers involved with local authority children’s services | 0808 801 0366 Monday to Friday 9:30am to 3pm |
| Parental Education Growth Support |
Web form hello@pegsupport.com |
| Victim Support community-based domestic abuse services for adolescent to parent violence |
Web form Live chat |
Special guardians of children who were previously looked after by their local authority can get also get therapeutic support from the adoption support fund. Special guardians who meet the eligibility criteria should contact their local authority for more information.
Welfare benefits and housing advice
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published up-to-date coronavirus-related welfare benefits information.
If you are concerned about your financial situation, you can contact Turn2us. They help people to access the money available to them through welfare benefits and grants. Their website has an income-related benefits checker enabling you to check that you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to.
Shelter provide free confidential housing information, support and legal advice on all housing and homelessness issues. They also have an emergency helpline and a webchat service.
The Survivor’s Handbook, created by Women’s Aid, provides information on housing, money, helping your children and your legal rights.
Support from your local jobcentre
Even if a jobcentre is closed, staff will still meet their most vulnerable customers including those fleeing domestic abuse.
Jobcentres are a safe space and the DWP supports victims of domestic abuse. This includes helping you access temporary accommodation and supporting you to make new applications for Universal Credit and putting you in touch with local experts and support networks.
Find out more about help available from the DWP for people who are victims of domestic violence and abuse.
If you don’t have settled status in the UK
Apply for settlement in your own right
If your relationship with a British citizen or someone settled in the UK has broken down because of domestic abuse you may be able to apply for settlement as a victim of domestic violence.
The destitution domestic violence concession provides help if you are in the UK on a temporary visa as a partner, your relationship has broken down because of domestic violence and you have no money to support yourself.
Apply for access to benefits
The destitution domestic violence concession offers domestic abuse victims 3 months’ leave outside the immigration rules with the ability to apply for access to public funds. This provides the opportunity to gain a temporary immigration status independent of the abuser and to fund safe accommodation, where victims of domestic abuse may consider applying for indefinite leave to remain or deciding to return to their country of origin.
Support for specific types of abuse
If you or someone you know is suffering from a specific form of abuse the organisations below might be able to help you.
| Specialism | Organisation | Contact / Resource |
|---|---|---|
| Economic abuse | Surviving Economic Abuse’s Financial Support Line | 01323 635 987 |
| Female genital mutilation (FGM) | NSPCC FGM helpline | 0808 800 5000 Web form help@nspcc.org.uk |
| Forced marriage | Forced Marriage Unit | +44 (0)20 7008 0151 fmu@fcdo.gov.uk |
| ‘Honour’-based abuse, forced marriage and domestic abuse | Karma Nirvana | 0800 5999 247 Web form support@karmanirvana.org.uk |
| Sexual assault | Sexual assault referral centres | Call your nearest sexual assault referral centre |
| Stalking | National Stalking Helpline (Suzy Lamplugh Trust) | 0808 802 0300 Web form |
| Technological abuse | Refuge | Tech Safety Tool |