Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Deferred
Certainty of funding for 'by and for' services is essential for their unique benefits
Conclusion
There needs to be certainty of funding for ‘by and for’ services. These services deliver significant positive benefits for their users, which they would not be able to access elsewhere. (Conclusion, Paragraph 36)
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledged the importance of 'by and for' services but deferred a decision on providing certainty of future funding until after the ongoing departmental budget allocation process following the Spending Review.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
Ringfences are an important tool in supporting specific policy priorities. However, the use of ringfences must be balanced against the need for departments to retain sufficient flexibility to allocate funding within their settlements and respond effectively to emerging issues, ensuring the best use of public resources. We recognise the barriers ‘by and for’ specialist services can face during the bidding process. The Home Office is working across government departments to review current definitions of ‘by and for’ and identify opportunities to improve the commissioning of these services, including considering a standardised bidding process. We will continue to engage with other government departments to maintain a comprehensive picture of the funding provision for victims of VAWG. This includes the Ministry of Justice as the lead department for victims policy and victims funding via PCCs. The Ministry of Justice decided to protect VAWG victims spending in the department by maintaining 2024–25 funding levels for sexual violence and domestic abuse support this year. This means that for 2025–26, the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund grant will be maintained at its current level. To increase funding flexibility, MoJ is amalgamating the existing ringfences—community-based sexual violence and domestic abuse support services, and ISVAs and IDVAs—into one ringfenced funding stream, to allow for better local prioritisation. As set out earlier, we cannot provide details on future funding, including the ringfencing of ‘by and for’ services, due to the ongoing departmental budget allocation post Spending Review, but departments will set out further details in due course.