What David Cameron says about funding for domestic violence charities and what is really happening

On one day in 2014, 112 women and their 84 children were turned away from refuges due to lack of space

David Cameron said the Autumn Statement would deliver more funding to women’s charities that fight domestic violence (PA)

David Cameron has said the government has a "good record on helping women" despite figures showing that charities are struggling to support victims of domestic violence as they deal with funding holes.

Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Mr Cameron said: “This government has a good record on helping women and making sure that the crime of domestic violence is properly investigated by the police and prosecuted by our courts.”

“In the Autumn Statement… we’re actually going to be putting more money into women’s charities including charities that fight domestic violence, that fight rape and [those] that make sure we cut out these appalling crimes in our country."

But funding shortages have led to a third of referrals to refuges being turned away because of lack of space. According to the 2014 Annual Women’s Aid Survey, 112 women and their 84 children were denied refuge on just one day in 2014.

Nearly 40 per cent of organisations in the survey said they were operating without dedicated funding. Around 65 per cent said they were running on reserves.

Furthermore, cash-strapped local authorities led to the closure of 32 refuges between 2010 and 2014. Although a government injection of £10 million was given to councils last year to provide accommodation for victims of domestic violence.

During the Autumn Budget statement, Chancellor George Osborne announced that the £15 million raised from the Tampon Tax would be used to fund women’s health and support charities.

He said: “The first £5 million will be distributed between Eve Appeal, SafeLives and Women’s Aid, and The Haven – and I invite bids from other such good causes.”

But the plan was met with outrage and criticism.

Responding to the Chancellor's announcement, Women’s Aid chief executive Polly Neate said: “The £2 million funding from the government towards the new domestic abuse early intervention project, Sooner the Better, is fantastic news. It will enable us to improve early responses and ultimately help to save the lives of abused women and children."

"We are also pleased that the contribution from government forms part of a wider £15 million pot for women’s organisations, which our national and local partners can apply for to support the lifesaving work that they are doing."

Although Ms Neate said she welcomed the money from the Tampon Tax being used to help women while the government campaigned for it to be zero-rated, she said: "We need to be clear that domestic abuse is not just a women’s problem for taxation on women's products to solve – it is an issue for everyone in society and men and women must address it together."