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Some questions that women may ask about going into a refuge
- Who can go into a refuge?
- What is a refuge like? Will I have my own self-contained flat?
- How will I get there, will a worker pick me up?
- What about my children? What about male children?
- Can women without dependant children go into a refuge?
- Will the workers be there 24 hours a day?
- How long can I stay in a refuge? How long will it take to get re-housed?
- Will I have to pay to stay in a refuge?
- I have no money of my own what will I do?
- What about my furniture?
- What about my pets?
- Do I have to have the police involved?
- Will social services get involved?
- Will I have to get a divorce?
- What about my alcohol dependency? I’m on a methadone programme can I go into a refuge?
- I am a drug user can I go into a refuge?
- I have mental health issues can I go into a refuge?
Who can go into a refuge?
Any woman age 16 or over who is experiencing domestic abuse, or whose children are being abused can go into a refuge. The abuse has to be from a current or former partner (including same sex partner or husband) or a close family member such as father, brother, mother etc. Women do not have to have suffered physical violence to go into a refuge; emotional/psychological abuse and sexual abuse are recognised as being domestic violence. The reason why the woman now needs to go into a refuge needs to be a current fear of further abuse.
What is a refuge like? Will I have my own self-contained flat?
Not all refuges are the same. Some are new purpose built buildings, and others are converted houses. In the older refuges families will have their own bedroom but will have to share other amenities. A few will have self-contained units, others ensuite bathrooms.
How will I get there, will a worker pick me up?
Due to safety reasons it is highly unlikely that refuge workers will pick the woman up, even if she lives quite local to the refuge. Some refuge groups will arrange to meet a woman somewhere but generally a woman has to make her own way to the refuge. If the woman has contact with other agencies such as the police or social services they may agree to drop the woman off. If the woman has money to travel to a refuge she should be advised to keep receipts, as if she is in receipt of income support she can apply for a community care grant from the Jobcentre Plus in retrospect. If the woman has no money she should be advised about social fund loans/community care grants. Anyone can apply for a crisis loan from the Jobcentre Plus, you do not have to be in receipt of any benefits. Social services can also help by providing a travel warrant. The woman can ask a trusted female friend or relative to take her, with the agreement of the refuge involved.
What about my children? What about male children?
Most refuges now have paid children’s workers whose priority is supporting children in the refuge. Services for children range from play sessions to more therapeutic work (either provided by the children’s workers or via referral to more specialist services). Nearly all refuges have a playroom and other facilities for children. Some run play schemes in the holidays and have after school activities. Male children can go into a refuge with their mother/female carer, however, there is an upper age limit on male children. Some refuges will not have male children from the age of 12 others set the limit at school age (16 years). A few refuges will accept boys over the age of 16. You need to check with the refuge before making a referral.
Can women without dependant children go into a refuge?
Yes, refuges are for women both with and without children.
Will the workers be there 24 hours a day?
Some refuges are staffed 24 hours. This can mean that although a refuge worker is on the premises they do not work all night. They do a ‘sleep in’. Most refuges are staffed Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, outside of these hours there is usually an emergency pager system in operation.
How long can I stay in a refuge? How long will it take to get re-housed?
Some women go into a refuge for just a few days, for a breathing space and to think about their options. Others stay until they are re-housed or until they have sought legal/criminal remedies in order to return home safely. The time it takes to get re-housed varies between local authorities (area that the woman wants to be re-housed in). Some areas are still quite quick with women being re-housed within a few months, in others it can take up to a year. With limited housing stock it is becoming more common for women not to have a real choice of area when it comes to re-housing.
Will I have to pay to stay in a refuge?
Refuges are funded by Supporting People
(a government grant) and rental income. Each woman is charged a weekly rent; the cost of refuge accommodation varies between refuges. How much the woman has to pay towards the rent will depend on her income. The refuge workers will help her fill in a housing benefit claim form, on which an assessment will be done.
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Women that are in paid employment can also make a claim for housing benefit, in most cases they will not receive full housing benefit and so will have to make a contribution towards the rent. All women will have to pay an element of rent that is housing benefit ‘ineligible’; this covers things such as utility bills. The cost of this element varies between refuges but is usually between £10-£15 per week.
I have no money of my own what will I do?
Women can claim benefits/tax credits in their own right once they have left their abusive partner. The refuge workers will help them in making a claim for the correct benefit. The amount or type of benefit/tax credits that a woman may be entitled to is dependent upon her current circumstances.
What about my furniture?
Women cannot take furniture into a refuge, due to lack of storage space. Most refuges will let women take in portable items such as TVs, stereos etc. Some local authorities store furniture for women that have applied to them as being homeless due to domestic violence. There may be a charge for this once the woman is re-housed. Other than this a woman can arrange furniture storage herself, but there will be a charge. If the woman is in receipt of income support in some circumstances she may be able to apply for a community care grant. She should be advised to ask the DWP about this, as they may say that as the local authority has a duty to store the cost is not eligible for a community care grant.
What about my pets?
Women cannot take their pets into a refuge. A few local authorities may kennel pets for women. Paws for Kids is an organisation that was set up to foster the pets of women that go into a refuge in the north west. This option is available for women; the contact number is on the Helpline and can be given out to women. The refuge workers will help the woman access the service.
Do I have to have the police involved?
The police do not have to be involved in the incidents of domestic violence at the point of referral to a refuge. Nor will a woman be forced to involve the police once she goes to stay in a refuge. See below for child protection, in which case if there are child protection issues then the police may become involved even if this is against a woman’s wishes.
Will social services get involved?
In most cases the answer to this is no, although some refuges will access social services to carry out a child protection check. If there are concerns around child protection or a child has been abused at home then the refuge workers would have a duty to inform social services. Where practical this would be discussed with the woman first.
Will I have to get a divorce?
There is no requirement for a woman to take any legal action and this includes getting a divorce or obtaining a legal separation.
What about my alcohol dependency? I’m on a methadone programme-can I go into a refuge?
Some refuges will consider accepting a woman with alcohol issues or who is on a methadone programme. Often refuges say that if the woman is on a recognised programme or willing to go on one they will consider her. This can also depend on whether they already have a woman staying at the refuge with additional support needs.
I am a drug user-can I go into a refuge?
Very few refuges will accept women who are currently taking/using illegal substances. It can depend on what support the woman is receiving from agencies such as the Community Drugs Team or plans the woman may have for going into detoxification.
I have mental health issues-can I go into a refuge?
This will depend on what the woman’s needs are and if the refuge is able to offer the appropriate support.
Women with any additional support need can be ‘considered’ for refuge accommodation. The provision of such accommodation will be dependant on several factors:
- Is the woman able to care for herself (and children)?
- Would the woman’s lifestyle impact negatively on other residents in the refuge?
- Is the refuge physically accessible for the woman/child if they have mobility issues?
- Are the refuge workers able to offer the appropriate support for the woman?
Women who cannot (or may not) be considered for refuge accommodation:
- Women convicted of arson
- Women who are schedule one offenders i.e. women who have committed offences against children
- Women with offences for violence
- Women who have been asked to leave (evicted) from other refuge accommodation, although this can sometimes depend on the reason they were asked to leave
- Women who are not able to care for
themselves i.e. cook, clean, shop etc. However if the woman has a carer (a woman who receives Carer's Allowance in respect of the woman) then refuges should be able to consider the woman and carer if they have enough room to accommodate.
If a woman is not able to access refuge accommodation she will be advised about homeless families or single persons temporary accommodation.
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