In this consultation, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is seeking views on the draft statutory guidance and the following draft Statutory Instruments:
• The Domestic Abuse Support (Relevant Accommodation) Regulations 2021
• The Domestic Abuse (Local Authority Strategies) Regulations 2021
On 29 April 2021 the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 received Royal Assent.
The Act includes within Part 4 (sections 57-61) new duties on tier 1 local authorities in England relating to the provision of support for victims and their children residing within relevant safe accommodation and a duty on tier 2 authorities to co-operate with tier 1 authorities.
The Act also places a requirement to consult on the statutory guidance and two regulations. Under section 60 of Part 4 of the Act, the Secretary of State is required to consult on and issue statutory guidance to assist local authorities in exercising their new functions. Once finalised, local authorities will need to have regard to the guidance in exercising their functions.
Women’s Aid, a national charity with local independent branches, feels the new Act has significant gaps, and not all women will be protected by the new law such as equal protection and support for migrant women.
You can read their views on the new act here.
Further details and how to respond to the consultation can be accessed here.
Local VCSE organisations providing support for domestic abuse survivors may wish to aid their views to this consultation