Domestic violence refuges face closure under benefit changes

Women’s Aid fears it will lose money when new benefit changes are introduced.

Half of all  refuges run by Women's Aid, a leading UK charity supporting victims of domestic and  sexual violence could lose money under Universal Credit being launched next month.

From April the Government will impose a £500 weekly cap on the amount of benefits a family can claim, and £350 for single people, excluding some disability benefits.

If benefits, including housing benefit, exceed this level councils will be required to reduce the amount of housing benefit in line with the new limits.

The government will also start to introduce Universal Credit.  Most benefits, including housing benefit, will be made in a single monthly payment directly to the claimant.

Women’s Aid is concerned that the Benefit Cap will hit survivors of domestic violence who receive benefits for two rents, one for the refuge service they are living in and rent for the home which they have fled but intend to return to.

Entitlement to Universal Credit will be assessed on the woman’s circumstances at the end of each monthly assessment period, so the refuge may receive no payment for a short stay of less than a month. Also, the 

Government have decided not to pay housing benefit directly to refuges like Women's Aid, which will leave them chasing money from their vulnerable clients.

Both these changes could mean Women's Aid refuges are under threat of survival.

And the new benefits may not cover charges for services like personal safety alarms and adjustments for disabled residents.

Women’s Aid owns around half of its refuges and the Government has announced that these will be exempted from the new arrangements for the time being.

But it will be up to local authorities to decide if refuges not owned by the charity will be exempt.

Women’s Aid fears this will lead to a two-tier system in which some residents and services face a cap whilst others don't.

Scottish Women’s Aid has reported that women their support will be hit by the 'bedroom tax'. This means victims of violence placed in larger homes on an emergency basis will be expected to pay for spare bedrooms out of their own benefits.

Women’s Aid is still in negotiations with the Government to try and make sure their refuges are exempt from benefit cuts that would threaten their survival.  They are urging its supporters to sign its petition and write to their MPs.

A template letter is available on their website.

Domestic violence marches sweep across the West Bank

Story published on Women's Views on News, August 2, 2012


Demonstrations took place in the West Bank this week to demand tougher sanctions for men who kill their wives and daughters.

Yesterday several women marched through Bethlehem carrying placards saying ‘No to Murder Yes to Life’ and ‘Shame on us Palestinians who kill our women.’

The silent protest was organised by the National Union of Palestinian Women, after a man stabbed his wife several times in the chest and slashed her throat in broad daylight in a busy street in the town in front of horrified onlookers.

Police said the woman, 28-year-old Nancy Zeboun had filed for divorce.  The couple’s three children are now in foster care.

Khaula al-Azraq, a counsellor based in the West Bank, said Zeboun had been beaten and on several occasions hospitalised during her 10 year marriage.

Zeboun’s family initially refused to bury her unless her husband was put to death, but later agreed to the burial.  Her husband is now in police custody and is expected to be charged with murder.

This was the fourth murder of a woman in the West Bank this month.  Three other women were killed by their fathers in so-called honour killings.

A father allegedly killed his daughter, who was still in high school, in the West Bank town of Tulkarm, another  is accused of beating his daughter to death in the city of Hebron and a third allegedly killed a daughter in the Gaza Strip. All are in custody facing murder charges.

The demonstrators say the police are doing too little to protect women and call on President Mahmoud Abbas to order a full investigation into the killing in Bethlehem.