Issue details

In November 2016 the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) invited bids for a national £20 million fund to help support victims of domestic abuse.

The new fund was made available to increase refuge spaces and other accommodation for women fleeing domestic violence, covering a range of services, from providing somewhere safe to live and recover, to providing education, employment and life skills training and helping victims rebuild their lives.

The Housing Independence Team submitted an application on behalf of Sheffield City Council and was successfully awarded a grant of £93,500 to be spent over a two year period (2016/17 and 2017/18).

This report seeks permission for Sheffield City Council to accept the grant funding from DCLG and to pass on this year’s funding of £23,500 to Sheffield Area Refuge and Support (SARAS) for improvements to the refuge service and to kick-start work on the expansion of the Sanctuary scheme within BME communities.

Proposals for payment of the 2017/18 grant funding will be the subject of a further report.