In December 2021 PILC launched the Domestic Abuse and Housing Forum (DAHF)

DAHF is a network of frontline DV workers, homelessness advice workers, housing / public lawyers and campaigners who work to tackle local-authority gatekeeping in cases of domestic abuse.

The group has been created in response to the increasing obstacles domestic abuse survivors face when seeking housing support from local authorities. Housing officers routinely provide inaccurate information regarding survivors’ rights and options. This deliberate (and often unlawful) gatekeeping is a systemic problem across local authorities.

DAHF will be a space for:

  1. Sharing case referrals;
  2. Providing second-tier advice;
  3. Referrals for formal legal representation;
  4. Sharing updates and resources on housing law relevant to domestic abuse survivors; and
  5. Discussing & strategising around the systemic barriers faced by domestic abuse survivors in need of housing support.

DAHF members can communicate in the following ways:

  1. A Google Group where referrals can be posted, second-tier advice offered, legal representation sought, and resources and updates shared;
  2. Quarterly meetings to discuss systemic issues faced by domestic abuse survivors seeking housing support.

For more information, or to request membership, please email isabella.mulholland@pilc.org.uk