Homelessness and domestic abuse

If you become homeless or believe that you are threatened with homelessness, you are entitled to make a request at your local housing authority for a homeless application.

Following your request to make a homeless application, we will carry out an assessment of your situation to establish that you are homeless or threatened with homelessness, and eligible for housing assistance. This assessment will also determine if we owe you a Prevention duty or a Relief duty, and if we have reason to believe that you have a priority need for emergency interim accommodation.​

Applicants fleeing domestic abuse are usually imminently homeless or already homeless, therefore we usually proceed to the Relief Duty. This means that we will have a 56-day period in which to relieve your homelessness. This may include offering a rent deposit scheme or referring to other services that can help you secure alternative accommodation. This could also include registering for the Housing Register. If we can confirm that you are homeless and eligible for assistance, we can provide emergency interim accommodation during the Relief Duty period. If we are unable to relieve your homelessness, we will consider if there is any further duty owed to you – for example, the main housing duty. You will be notified of any decisions in writing.

If you make a homeless application, one of the options that may be considered for you is temporary accommodation. Temporary accommodation is provided on an interim basis while your application is investigated, and can be offered on an ongoing basis if your application progresses to what is known as the main duty. Your allocated officer will explain what stage your application is at throughout the process.

Temporary accommodation can be in any location, although we try to ensure all placements are within Greater London. We also ensure the accommodation offered is in a safe area for you - this will be discussed during your assessment. We allocate temporary accommodation on a daily basis, therefore it cannot be pre-booked or held for you. You will be required to make a decision about any possible placements on the day you are offered. There are consequences of refusing an offer, which your allocated officer will explain to you, so it is recommended that you fully consider the offer before choosing that option. All victims of domestic abuse will be offered self-contained accommodation, however these are usually in shared buildings and may have communal corridors and a communal front door - like a block of flats.

The City of London has provision of safe accommodation for single women who are fleeing abuse. This is not a refuge, nor do we have provision of refuge accommodation. Please refer to the 'Refuge accommodation' section for more information about refuge placements. This accommodation is limited, and is only offered to those who meet the criteria required for placement. All residents will be offered additional in-reach support during their stay. Your allocated officer may offer this accommodation to you if they feel you would benefit from it. There are house rules for this project which are slightly different to other temporary accommodation and you will be required to agree to them. 

The Sanctuary Scheme is a free multi-agency scheme available to anyone living in the City of London, or in a City of London property. The aim of the scheme is to protect victims of domestic abuse and to help them to stay in their own homes, whilst also acknowledging when this is not a safe option for the victim. The scheme is co-ordinated through the City of London Homelessness Team, in partnership with City of London Police.

Your allocated officer may recommend this option to you as a way to prevent you from becoming homeless and to safeguard your home. Your allocated officer can make a referral to the Sanctuary Scheme on your behalf, so please let them know if this is something you would like to consider.

If you are currently living in social housing, your allocated officer may discuss the Pan-London Housing Reciprocal Agreement with you, if appropriate for your circumstances. This is a voluntary collaboration between local authorities and registered housing providers in London. The purpose is to prevent homelessness in cases of domestic abuse, violence against women and girls (VAWG), hate crimes, where people are at risk of harms from gangs or youth violence, or other high risk reasons. People must have an existing social tenancy and be at risk in their borough, so in need of a reciprocal move.

Your allocated officer may discuss injunctions and protective orders with you, such as a non-molestation order or an occupation order. These legal interventions can be helpful for keeping you safe in your home and whilst outside of your home. They can either prevent a perpetrator from being near you, or prevent a perpetrator from continuing to live in your home for a short period of time. 

Please note: while we can advise on the best course of action, which may include an injunction or protective order, and we can help you find the forms to apply for this, we cannot assist you in court when applying for them. If you feel you need this support, please speak to an IDVA or domestic abuse service who may be able to help.

Domestic Abuse Prevention Notice (DAPN)/Domestic Abuse Prevention Order (DAPO)

This is a new civil notice which aims to provide immediately protection following a domestic abuse incident. A DAPN would typically be issued by the police and could require a perpetrator to leave your home for up to 48 hours.

The police can also make a further application to a magistrate's court for a DAPO. Victims and specified third parties can also apply for a DAPO directly to the family court, if needed. DAPOs impose both prohibitions and positive requirements on perpetrators such as prohibiting them from being within a certain distance of your home or workplace, school etc, whilst also requiring them to attend behavioural change programmes. Please speak to the police or your IDVA for more information about applying for a DAPO if required.

Non-molestation order

Non-molestation orders are a type of injunction. It is a court order that can be served on someone to forbid certain behaviour, such as threatening behaviour, or by limiting their actions, such as visiting your home. This type of injunction is typically used to prevent physical violence, intimidation, harassment, or unwanted communication. It can place a restriction on a perpetrator coming near you or your property, and it can also include your children. A non-molestation order also prevents a perpetrator from instructing someone else to act on their behalf to carry out actions of this nature. A breach of a non-molestation order can result in arrest for the offence of breaching the order. A non-molestation order is usually granted for six to 12 months, and can be applied for as an emergency application in urgent circumstances.

Occupation order

You can apply for an occupation order if you are a victim of domestic abuse and meet the following requirements:

• you own or rent your home that is or was intended to be shared with your husband or wife, civil partner, cohabitant, family member, person you're engaged to, or parent of your child.
• you do not own or rent the home but you are married or in a civil partnership with the owner and you are living in the home (matrimonial home rights)
• your former husband, wife, or civil partner is the owner or tenant, and the home is or was intended to be your shared matrimonial home
• the person you cohabit or cohabited with is the owner or tenant and the home is or was intended to be your shared home

An occupation order is an order made under Section 33 of the Family Law Act 1996 to determine who can remain living in  property, or defining who can enter certain parts of a home, if parties are unable to agree. It is usually applied for by a victim of domestic abuse who no longer wishes for the perpetrator to continue living in the home because they are frightened of them and because they need protection from the abuse they have suffered.  You can apply for an occupation order on an emergency basis if needed. Occupation orders can be made for a specified period - sometimes this cannot exceed six months, but can be extended for up to six months at a time if required. If an occupation order is agreed, we would recommend that you use the time granted to work with a local authority or domestic abuse service to stabilise your living situation and ensure your ongoing safety.

The City of London commissions Victim Support to provide Independent Domestic Abuse Advocate (IDVA) and Vulnerable Victims Advocate (VVA) support to victims of abuse in the City of London. City of London homeless applicants and residents of the safe accommodation provision can also access this support.

The main purpose of IDVA support is to address the safety of victims at high risk of harm from intimate partners, ex-partners or family members to secure their safety and the safety of their children, if applicable. IDVAs and VVAs will work as a victim's primary point of contact from the point of crisis to assess the level of risk, develop safety plans and discuss the range of options available to the victim. (SafeLives - National definition of IDVA work)

IDVA and VVA support is specialised for those fleeing abuse and can include help and support with your homeless application. Your IDVA or VVA may refer you to your local authority's homelessness team for immediate housing support, or you may be referred as part of your homeless application. If you do not have an allocated IDVA or VVA, but feel you may benefit from this level of support, please let your allocated officer know so that they can make a referral for you.

If you need to flee the area you are currently living, have children in your full-time care, additional support needs, or stronger safety measures, we may recommend that you move into a refuge. The City of London Corporation doesn't have any provision of refuge accommodation but we can refer you to any vacancies in other boroughs, or anywhere in the UK. You can also refer yourself for refuge accommodation through the National Domestic Abuse Helpline.

Refuge describe refuge accommodation as safe houses for women and children escaping domestic abuse. There are some refuge spaces available for men fleeing abuse too. Please check with the National Domestic Abuse Helpline for more information.

The refuge address is always kept confidential. Refuges can also provide specialist staff to provide residents with the building blocks they need to begin a new life, free from fear. Refuge staff can help you with safety planning, finding a new home, accessing health services, finding schools and nurseries, accessing local and cultural services, legal advice, and training, education and employment. For more information about refuges and the experience of moving into one, please see Refuge's webpage on this topic.

If you need urgent advice, or would like to self-refer for refuge accommodation, you can contact the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline. 

This is a freephone number and available all hours - 0808 2000 247.

The helpline is operated by highly trained female staff. They can speak to you in confidence about your situation and help you to plan for the future, or signpost you to refuges or other specialist services. The helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and they have interpreters available in many other languages.

Please note - the helpline cannot help with an emergency situation. In all emergencies, you should call 999 in the first instance.

To arrange a phone appointment, video conference, or face-to-face meeting for housing advice, please contact:

Homelessness Officer
0207 332 1804
Self-referral: Housing Jigsaw
Email: Homelessness Team

For further advice, or specialist support, you may find the following organisations helpful:

• Victim Support
  Independent charity supporting victims of crime. The City of London commission Victim Support to provide their Independent Domestic Abuse Advocate and Vulnerable Victims Advocate service.
• City of London Police
• StreetLink
  Referral service for connecting rough sleepers to local support services in their area.
• Women's Aid
  Support service working to end violence against women and girls. Support is available by phone, live chat, email or forum.
• Refuge
  Service providing support, advice and refuge accommodation. Refuge run the National Domestic Abuse Helpline.
• Solace Women's Aid
  Free advice and support for women in London to build safe and strong lives.
• Latin American Women's Rights Service
  Free, confidential and specialist service for all Latin American women facing gender-based violence.
• Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation
  Advice and support for Middle Eastern, North African and Afghan women and girls living in the UK who have experienced or are at risk of all forms of "honour"-based abuse.
• SignHealth
  Supporting deaf victims of domestic abuse.
• Stonewall Housing
  Specialist support for LGBTQ+ people fleeing domestic abuse, forced marriage, and so-called honour-based violence. Stonewall Housing also have referral rights to the Star Support refuge, run by and for LGBTQ+ victims of domestic abuse.
• Galop
  Supporting LGBTQ+ victims of domestic abuse with IDVA support and LGBTQ+ domestic abuse helpline.
• Loving Me
  Support for trans and non-binary victims of domestic abuse or sexual violence.
• ManKind Initiative
  Information, support and signposting for men suffering domestic abuse from their current or former partner.