Violence and abuse
This content applies to England only.
Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. Get advice relating to Scotland
You may feel you have to leave your home because of threats, abuse or intimidation. Alternatively, it may be possible to stay in your home if you take action against the person responsible. However, if you don't want to take action against the perpetrator, the council may have to house you.
In some situations, there may be things you can do to solve the problems yourself. However, you should never put yourself in danger. In an emergency or if you believe that a criminal offence is about to be committed, you should call the police on 999.
What is meant by domestic violence?
Domestic violence includes any incident of threatening behaviour. The abuse can be psychological, physical, social, financial, or emotional - if the actions are between two people who have been in an intimate relationship, regardless of their gender.
Should I leave immediately?
If you are at risk of violence you may need to leave your home in a hurry until you can sort out a more permanent solution. If you can, try to arrange temporary housing before you leave and take some essentials with you, such as:
- a change of clothes
- toiletries and any medication you need to take regularly
- important documents, such as your passport, credit cards and legal papers.
Don't make a decision to give up your home permanently until you have spoken to an adviser and considered all your options. Use the Advice Services Directory to find a Shelter advice centre or Citizens Advice in your area.
What can I do about problems within my household?
You may be experiencing violence, threats, abuse or controlling behaviour from someone you live with or used to live with. This could be your current partner, spouse or civil partner, or a former civil partner, spouse or partner, or a parent or a child. If you are in this situation but want to stay in your home, you may need to improve security in your home and/or take legal action. For example, you may be able to get an injunction ordering the person who has been abusive to:
- stop being violent
- stay away from your home
- stop contacting you.
If the abusive person doesn't stick to the injunction, it is a criminal offence and s/he can be arrested. You can get more information about how to get an injunction from a housing aid centre or Citizens Advice Bureau. They may be able to refer you to a solicitor specialising in family law. They can also put you in touch with the Police Community Safety Unit.
If you feel you need to leave immediately, get advice as quickly as possible to find out about your rights. Use our directory to find an adviser in your area.
If you already have an injunction but the person is not taking any notice of it, call the police immediately or contact a solicitor for further help.
What can I do about violence from other people?
If you are suffering from neighbourhood problems, get advice before you take any action. There are a number of different ways it might be possible to solve the problem, but you should never put yourself in danger.
If the violent person lives in rented accommodation, you could consider informing her/his landlord, who may decide to take action against her/him, as:
- most private landlords can evict any tenant who is violent or abusive
- councils and housing associations can also stop antisocial behaviour by their tenants. They can get an injunction to prevent the violent person from coming near you and your home and, in serious cases (such as racist or sexual harassment), they can evict the person responsible.
If the violent person is a home owner, you may be able to take legal action against her/him yourself but this is complicated and can be expensive. It is a good idea to get advice before taking action, but you should call the police if you are in immediate danger.
If the harassment is of a racist or sexual nature, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission may be able to help you.
What are my housing options?
In the short-term, you may want to stay with friends or relatives while you think about what to do next. Once you are out of danger, you may have a number of accommodation options.
Help from the council housing department
You can apply to the council housing department as a homeless person if you can't stay in your home because of the situation. The council has to give you advice about finding somewhere to live and you may be entitled to emergency accommodation.
You will be asked to provide details of your situation and may be asked for supporting evidence. This evidence could include details and dates of incidents and reports from the police (if they have been called). You may want to take a friend or an adviser along for moral support.
If the council says it won't help you because it believes it would have been reasonable for you to stay in your home, get advice immediately. The council may be breaking the law.
Help from social services
Some groups of people may be entitled to help from social services, even if the housing department can't help. This might be the case if you :
- are elderly
- have dependent children
- are under the age of 18
- have left care (or are about to do so)
- are in poor health
- have a physical or learning disability.
Social services may be able to help by finding accommodation for you, paying for a deposit or providing financial support. There are no rules about the kind of help social services have to provide but an adviser may be able to tell you what sort of help you can expect. Use the Advice Services Directory to find a Shelter advice centre, Citizens Advice or other advice agency in your area.
Refuges
Women experiencing domestic abuse may be able to stay in a women's refuge. Some refuges are specifically for women from certain backgrounds, such as Irish or Asian women. The staff will be able to give you advice about your situation. Contact Women's Aid or Refuge for more information. They can help you deal with other agencies such as:
- the police
- solicitors
- the housing department.
Men experiencing domestic abuse may find that there is less specialist housing available for them. You can still apply to the council housing department as a homeless person (see above) and could also contact a Shelter advice centre or Citizens Advice to see what is available in your area.
