Closed petition Stop the proposed changes to funding for refuges and short term housing.

Closed on 15 June 2018

These proposals will remove the only guaranteed funding for refuges from the welfare system. Effectively preventing vulnerable women from paying part of the cost of their accommodation in refuges with housing benefit resulting in mass closures of refuges.

Funding for supported housing paragraph 68 on page 26 of the 58 page document details the proposed changes. Housing benefit currently meets about half of refuge funding resulting in closures of many.These changes withdraw all guaranteed funding for refuges for vulnerable women fleeing abuse putting them at further risk. Closures of refuges would result in enormous increased costs for alternative housing for local authorities.