Domestic abuse and homelessness: how can support services help break the cycle?

Domestic abuse is one of the leading causes of homelessness in the UK, particularly for women. Many women who are street homeless also face an increased risk of domestic abuse while sleeping rough, in addition to being ‘hidden’ from support services that should be able to help them.

Local authorities, housing providers and supported accommodation services can all help change this trend. But that change will only happen if these organisations adopt a consistent, trauma-informed and survivor-centred* approach at every point of contact with service-users.

*When we say survivors, we are always referring to survivors of domestic abuse, with additional support needs (such as homelessness).

The link between domestic abuse and homelessness

Research shows that domestic abuse is a near-universal experience for homeless women. Women make up 60% of adults in temporary accommodation in England, and a significant proportion cite domestic abuse as a primary cause of their homelessness.

Despite these realities, many homelessness services do not routinely ask their service users about domestic abuse – leaving survivors without recognition or support.

Multiple disadvantage: the compounding effect 

Homelessness rarely exists in isolation. Poverty, mental ill health, substance use, interpersonal abuse and systemic discrimination often intersect, creating what is known as multiple disadvantage. Women facing these compounding challenges are more likely to be homeless, and to be overlooked by services.

For some people, immigration status or lack of recourse to public funds policies might present even greater barriers to their safety. Domestic abuse survivors who come from racialised communities may also face additional layers of discrimination, or distrust of services due to past experiences of discrimination. 

Meanwhile, disabled survivors can be confronted with inaccessible accommodation options, or a lack of staff training to meet their needs.

These overlapping disadvantages do not just compound the trauma, they actively reduce the routes to safety for survivors.

The support gap 

Data from domestic abuse service Women’s Aid found that only 21 refuge bed spaces across three services, out of 4,289 refuge bed spaces nationally, are exclusively for women with substance abuse or mental health support needs. This highlights the gaps in provision for the most marginalised survivors, who are experiencing multiple disadvantage alongside domestic abuse, and an urgent need for services to respond effectively to this cohort.

Trauma-informed, survivor-centred support: why it matters 

Trauma-informed care starts by recognising that domestic abuse and homelessness are deeply traumatic experiences. 

Survivors experiencing multiple disadvantage are often excluded from traditional domestic abuse and homelessness support models such as refuges or hostels, due to a lack of recognition.

Survivors may distrust services or find certain environments triggering. A truly trauma-informed service doesn’t just acknowledge this, it designs every aspect of its environment and practice to account for it.

A survivor-centred approach goes even further – it prioritises safety, dignity and choice, placing survivors at the heart of all decision-making. 

Examples of a survivor-centred approach include: co-producing policies with survivors, offering flexible support plans that adapt to changing needs, and ensuring that every interaction is grounded in respect and empowerment.

Co-production doesn’t always require large-scale consultations or formal structures. It can start with small, everyday actions – inviting survivors to comment on the wording of letters, to shape house rules or to help design welcome packs, for example. These actions send a clear message that their voices are valued and that they have the power to directly influence the services they use.

Holding perpetrators to account

While survivor safety comes first, services cannot overlook perpetrators. Creating accountability begins with challenging abusive behaviour directly and consistently, which makes it clear that abuse and coercion will not be tolerated.

It is important to recognise that couples experiencing domestic abuse are often trauma-bonded. For many, the relationship may not end, and interventions should focus on making the survivor safer within that relationship. There is a common misconception that domestic abuse support is all about forcing separation, when in reality it is about risk minimisation, whatever that looks like for the individual.

How DAHA’s Homelessness and Supported Accommodation Accreditation can help 

DAHA’s Homelessness and Supported Accommodation Accreditation provides a practical framework for organisations to embed the solutions discussed in this article, with infrastructure, guidance and specialist expertise.

It can help service providers to identify gaps and flaws in their approach to housing and supporting survivors – as well as perpetrators (see case study, below).