Funding cuts and the increase in employers’ national insurance contributions will have “dire consequences” for victims of domestic and sexual violence, charities have said.
On Monday, a group of victims’ and women’s charity leaders wrote to the prime minister warning him that the upcoming moves will put the government’s mission to halve violence against females “in jeopardy”.
In the joint letter, Rape Crisis England and Wales, Victim Support, Welsh Women’s Aid, Imkaan and Women’s Aid Federation of England, said the cut to core police and crime commissioner budgets will leave them “no choice” but to make redundancies and reduce “lifeline” support services for victims.
Offences related to violence against women currently account for 20% of all police recorded crime and support for survivors is needed “now more than ever”, the organisations said.
The open letter states that, according to the Rape Crisis England and Wales survey report, a third of Rape Crisis centres are expecting to issue redundancy notices before the end of the financial year with 30% of directors concerned they will have to close down their centre.
Both the funding cut and the increase in employers’ national insurance contributions, announced in the last budget, will take effect from April next year.
The national insurance increase alone is likely to cost them “many millions of pounds”, the charities said.
The letter, signed by leaders from the five organisations and addressed to Keir Starmer, reads: “Our vital support services are needed now more than ever, so by cutting funding and raising national insurance, this government is putting their future in danger and potentially denying a lifeline to hundreds of thousands of women and girls who have experienced gender-based violence.
“If these moves go ahead, we believe your mission to halve VAWG (violence against women and girls) is in jeopardy.”
The charities have asked for an uplift in their funding in addition to a meeting with the prime minister to discuss these issues and continued support for victims.
Every year, about 85 people – overwhelmingly women – are killed by a current or ex-partner, and most of the time those crimes take place in the home.
Katie Kempen, chief executive of Victim Support, said: “Closing our doors to vulnerable victims of crime is the last thing we want to do. But we could be left with no choice.
“The government must immediately reverse planned cuts and instead increase the victims’ services grant to cover national insurance rises.”
A government spokesperson said: “This government inherited a criminal justice system under immense pressure and a black hole in the nation’s finances.
“Our mission to halve violence against women and girls remains a top priority and we are committed to ensuring we can deliver the justice victims deserve, through our courts and across the system.
“By protecting support for victims of sexual violence and domestic abuse, we are ensuring help is available to survivors of these awful crimes as they seek to rebuild their lives.”
