Women’s Aid responds to the Spending Review which failed to acknowledge VAWG despite government manifesto pledge

Isabelle Younane, Head of External Affairs at Women’s Aid said:  

“In their election manifesto, the government made an ambitious pledge to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) over the next decade. Yet, this commitment was once again absent from the spending review delivered yesterday, following similar omissions in both the 2024 Autumn Budget and recent Spring Statement. 

While Women’s Aid welcomes some of the funding announcements, we urge the government to recognise that without a comprehensive whole-system response, including sustained investment in specialist domestic abuse services, it will be impossible to meet their promise and protect women and children from harm. 

We welcome the announcement of investment in social housing over the next ten years, recognising that the severe shortage of affordable housing remains one of the biggest barriers to survivors rebuilding their lives. Without suitable housing, many survivors face long delays in moving on from temporary refuge accommodation, which not only hinders their recovery but also blocks access to refuge spaces for other women and children in urgent need of support. 

We also acknowledge the previously announced investment across the justice system, including up to £700 million for the under-resourced probation service and additional funding for police forces. However, investment in statutory services alone without funding the wraparound support that survivors rely on every day is economically short-sighted. Furthermore, specialist services, alongside multi-agency risk assessment and safety planning, are also crucial for the ongoing safety of women and children’s safety.  A minimum of £502 million is needed to ensure that specialist organisations can continue to provide essential, expert support for survivors fleeing abuse. 

It also crucial that these investments are accompanied by meaningful cultural reform within the criminal justice system to improve justice outcomes and rebuild trust for survivors. We recommend that part of the £700m allocated to probation services is allocated specifically to mandatory training for probation officers on domestic abuse, and that this training be designed and delivered by specialist expert VAWG organisations. 

If the government is serious about its pledge to halve VAWG, it must adopt a whole-system approach – with proper financial backing for the specialist services that are vital to keeping women and children safe.”