MP asked to back call for continued funding for victims of domestic abuse

Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber has written to Peter Swallow MP, following comments made in the House of Commons earlier this week about a decrease in funding for domestic abuse support services in Berkshire.

In his letter, Matthew said “I share your concerns that the arbitrary cuts imposed by the Ministry of Justice have had a negative impact on providers in this sector. Ministry of Justice core victims’ services funding has reduced in the Thames Valley by 4.2% for 2025/26. This reduction, combined with inflation, increased salary expectations, and National Insurance rises, has placed significant financial pressure on our local services.

“Despite this, I have prioritised maintaining support across the Thames Valley, aiming for parity in service provision and helping providers manage rising overheads.  In April 2024, I commissioned a Thames Valley-wide victim service to ensure that we have continued support for victims. The Thames Valley Adult Service offers both one-to-one and group support for standard risk domestic abuse victims, including IDVA provision. 

“However, there is no certainty of funding beyond the current financial year. I hope that you will join with me in asking the Ministry of Justice both to look at increasing funding for domestic abuse services in the future, but also to give clarity over future funding. The uncertainty of the annual funding cycle has a real impact on local providers and their viability for the future.”

You can read the full letter here.

Last October I wrote to the Ministry of Justice to warn about the impact of their planned cuts. Read my warning from last year about the loss of funding.