The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has unveiled a new £6 million funding package to enhance support for victims and survivors of domestic abuse across the capital. This investment will

provide crucial assistance to thousands of people, helping them access safe accommodation and rebuild their lives.

Since its inception in 2021, the Mayor’s Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation (DASA) programme has supported over 23,500 survivors, ensuring they receive essential services. The newly announced funding will strengthen these efforts, building on Sadiq Khan’s record £233 million commitment to tackling violence against women and girls in all its forms.

Expanding support services

The additional £6 million will be used to fund key initiatives, including:

- Specialist keyworkers and advocates to assist victims in finding safe housing.

- Helplines and legal advice to ensure survivors can access critical resources.

- Counselling services to provide emotional support and recovery assistance.

- Specialist play therapy for children affected by domestic abuse.

This funding forms part of the Mayor’s broader £54 million investment in the DASA programme, which delivers vital services for survivors and their families. Between 2022 and 2024 alone, the programme has funded 81 essential services, directly supporting victims across London.

The scale of the issue

The latest Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimates that 2.3 million people aged 16 and over experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2024. In London, police recorded 86,863 domestic abuse offences in the 12 months leading to February 2025.

Despite the progress made, many survivors still face barriers in accessing the help they need. The ongoing cost-of-living crisis has further compounded the issue, forcing some victims to remain in abusive situations due to financial hardship.

A renewed focus on minority communities

To ensure that all Londoners can access the support they need, the Mayor has introduced a refreshed approach to Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation. This initiative aims to create more safe spaces for survivors from minority backgrounds, including faith-based communities and individuals with complex needs. The goal is to make support services more inclusive and accessible to London’s diverse population.

First-hand insights from frontline organisations

As part of the announcement, the Mayor visited voluntary organisations Refuge, Solace, and Asha in Lambeth to see the impact of his DASA programme firsthand. These organisations provide vital frontline support to some of the most vulnerable individuals in London.

Sadiq Khan reaffirmed his commitment to working in partnership with community organisations, charities, the police, and government agencies to ensure survivors receive the support they need. With this latest investment, thousands more victims will be able to access safe housing, expert advice, and the resources needed to move forward from domestic abuse.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Domestic abuse refuges and community organisations are a lifeline for so many Londoners in need. Despite caseloads growing, grassroot support groups are struggling to survive due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and years of underfunding from the previous government.

“So I’m pleased to be working with partners to fund vital support services for thousands of survivors of domestic abuse and violence who need safe accommodation across our city.

“The investment I have announced today will build on my record £233 million funding to tackle violence against women and girls in all its forms and help community organisations continue their life-changing work with some of the most vulnerable people experiencing domestic abuse so we can build a safer and fairer London for everyone.”

Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Kaya Comer-Schwartz, said: “The Mayor’s funding for domestic abuse victims and survivors is changing lives. Since 2021, the DASA programme has ensured more than 23,500 victims and survivors have received the support they need to move forward.

“This latest investment and refreshed strategy will help us do even more and ensure Londoners of all backgrounds can access the vital one-to-one care they need to rebuild their lives. All of this is happening alongside record funding for the police to go after the worst domestic abuse offenders and better education and public campaigns to tackle the root causes of misogyny and domestic violence.”

Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development, Tom Copley, said: “This vital new investment from the Mayor will ensure thousands of victims and survivors of domestic abuse in safe accommodation receive the help they need to rebuild their lives.

“This will enable grassroots community organisations to continue delivering life-changing services for victims, including helplines and therapy, as we build a safer London for all.”

London's Independent Victims' Commissioner, Claire Waxman OBE, said: “It's absolutely critical that victims and survivors affected by domestic abuse and violence receive the support and help they need to access safety and rebuild their lives.

“I know first-hand from my work with victims across the capital just how important these specialist services are; safe accommodation offers survivors a lifeline and ensures they can escape their abusers. Whilst there is a still a lot more work to do to tackle the root causes of domestic abuse, I hope this new funding from City Hall will support the most vulnerable victims and survivors in our diverse communities.”

Cllr Claire Holland, the Leader of Lambeth Council, said: “We are proud of Lambeth's leading work to support women and girls who are victims and survivors of domestic abuse and to work with the Mayor of London on our shared ambitions to keep women and girls safe.

“This visit recognises Lambeth’s long history of strong local funding, partnerships and expertise. We are committed to tackling gender based violence in all its forms in our borough and have protected these services from the deep funding cuts our sector has faced over many years. Lambeth Council’s strategy for tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) has been in place since 2021 and sets out how the council works with its partners on the issue over the following five years. It builds on previous strategies and a decade of work to establish effective services, partnerships and processes that support victims and survivors and their children and hold perpetrators to account.

“Lambeth council funds 52 refuge bed spaces, which is the highest number of commissioned domestic abuse safe accommodation beds in any London borough, and twice as many as the London average. The majority offer culturally specific support in recognition of the evidenced benefit of tailored support for women and their children fleeing abuse. There is also specialist community-based support for victims and survivors of all genders and ages who are at risk of gender based violence through our free, confidential and independent service, the Gaia Centre. We look forward to working with the Mayor and his team on a fair and sustainable offer for those fleeing domestic abuse across London.”

Martina Palmer, Head of Services at Refuge, said: “Refuge is delighted to welcome a new strategy for domestic abuse safe accommodation from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). Violence against women and girls (VAWG) in London remains at ‘endemic’ levels, and funding for safe accommodation for survivors is an integral part of what’s needed to make good on the Government’s pledge to halve VAWG within the next decade.

“Refuges play a lifesaving role for survivors by giving them the space, safety and support required to rebuild their lives free from abuse. We are proud to be continuing our work with Lambeth and other expert partners to deliver a co-ordinated approach to domestic abuse that is inclusive, accessible and tailored to each survivor’s individual needs.”

Nahar Choudhury, Chief Executive of Solace, said: “Safe and accessible accommodation is a lifeline for survivors of domestic abuse, and we welcome the Mayor’s commitment to improving provision across London. Solace has been proud to contribute to the consultation on this strategy, which takes important steps to expand safe accommodation, strengthen specialist support, and remove barriers for those most in need.

“We are particularly pleased to see a focus on grant funding for ‘by and for’ services, improving sanctuary schemes, expanding move on housing, and investing in psychologically informed environments. We look forward to continuing our work with the Mayor’s Office and partners to ensure every survivor in London has a secure place to rebuild their life.”

Ila Patel, Director of Asha, said: “We welcome the Mayor’s new strategy for Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation, which is an important step in ensuring survivors have the support they need.

Specialist by and for organisations like Asha play a crucial role in supporting women who are often the most vulnerable and least visible.

“Working together with our Lambeth partners, we have delivered quality support to survivors, ensuring they feel safe, valued, and empowered to rebuild their lives. As a small organisation, this achievement was made possible through the DASA funding, which has been vital in enabling us to provide this essential support.” Photo by U.S. Embassy London, Wikimedia commons.