Northamptonshire councils earmark £1.5m a year for new domestic abuse service
Councils across Northamptonshire have earmarked an estimated £1.5m a year to commission a provider for safe domestic abuse accommodation for the next five years.
It is estimated there will be around 10,400 female victims of domestic abuse each year in North Northants.
A report going to North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) next week has outlined the need to plan for arrangements for refuge provision for domestic abuse victims and survivors within the county once the current contract expires.
The new service would be expected to deliver a range of refuge accommodation, including women’s and men’s only, specialist drug and alcohol refuge, and specialist multicultural and diversity refuge.
Other wraparound support for Northamptonshire residents fleeing domestic abuse, such as targeted therapeutic work for adults and children, counselling services, information helplines, and awareness training, would also be delivered under the service.
The current arrangements offer a total of 51 refuge accommodation units across the county in partnership with Eve and Northamptonshire Domestic Abuse Service (NDAS). Of the bedspaces, 36 are in West Northants and the remaining 15 are in the North.
In 2023/24 the safe accommodation services received a total of 505 referrals.
Both Eve and NDAS are on a rolling 12-month grant agreement since 2021/22, however the council has emphasized the need to move to a more robust service model under formal contractual arrangements.
The new contract would be procured for a three-year period, with two opportunities to extend for a further year.
It would still be county-wide and according to the report West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) would take the lead on procuring on behalf of both unitary councils.
A report being presented to the North Northants executive panel next Tuesday (July 15) said: “Domestic abuse is a pervasive issue affecting individuals and families, with serious and long-lasting impacts on physical and mental health, highlighting the urgent need for developing robust local responses.”
The funding will come from the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Grant provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The value is estimated to start at £1.5m per annum, split evenly between the North and West.
MHCLG has advised that announcements regarding funding beyond 2026 are expected later this year.
Market engagement would take place during the summer, with the intention to go out to tender at the end of August.
The contract would begin in April 2026, after the current contractual arrangements in West and North Northants have ended.