Domestic violence and abuse: help from DWP
A guide for domestic violence and abuse victims about services from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
- From:
- Department for Work and Pensions and Home Office
- Published
- 5 January 2018
- Last updated
-
161 April20242026 — See all updates
Documents
Help available from the Department for Work and Pensions for people who are victims of domestic violence and abuse
HTML
Details
This guide provides information for victims of domestic violence and abuse about the services and support offered by DWP.
This includes special conditions for:
- Housing Benefit
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- the benefit cap
- removal of the spare room subsidy
- Discretionary Housing Payments
- migrant partner support
Find out more about your rights if you’re a victim of domestic violence and abuse.
Updates to this page
Published 5 January 2018
Last updated 161 April 2024
+ show2026
href="#full-history">+ show all updates
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Update history
2026-04-01 00:01
Information has been added about help with the cost of living.
2024-04-16 14:35
‘Rapid advances’ are known as ‘new claims advances’.
2024-03-25 09:08
Section 10 of the guidance about the Child Maintenance Service application fee has been removed as there is no longer a fee.
2024-01-16 17:10
If you’ve left an abusive relationship and claim Universal Credit, your work coach can help you to open a new claim as a single claimant. From this moment your ex-partner will not have access to any information about your new claim.You can also get a rapid advance of up to 100% of your expected Universal Credit monthly entitlement. You may get a decision on the same day.
Help available from the Department for Work and Pensions for people who are victims of domestic violence and abuse
HTML
Details
This guide provides information for victims of domestic violence and abuse about the services and support offered by DWP.
This includes special conditions for:
- Housing Benefit
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- the benefit cap
- removal of the spare room subsidy
- Discretionary Housing Payments
- migrant partner support
Find out more about your rights if you’re a victim of domestic violence and abuse.
Updates to this page
Published 5 January 2018
Last updated 161 April 2024
+ show2026
href="#full-history">+ show all updates
-
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2026-04-01 00:01
Information has been added about help with the cost of living.
2024-04-16 14:35
‘Rapid advances’ are known as ‘new claims advances’.
2024-03-25 09:08
Section 10 of the guidance about the Child Maintenance Service application fee has been removed as there is no longer a fee.
2024-01-16 17:10
If you’ve left an abusive relationship and claim Universal Credit, your work coach can help you to open a new claim as a single claimant. From this moment your ex-partner will not have access to any information about your new claim.You can also get a rapid advance of up to 100% of your expected Universal Credit monthly entitlement. You may get a decision on the same day.
Details
This guide provides information for victims of domestic violence and abuse about the services and support offered by DWP.
This includes special conditions for:
- Housing Benefit
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- the benefit cap
- removal of the spare room subsidy
- Discretionary Housing Payments
- migrant partner support
Find out more about your rights if you’re a victim of domestic violence and abuse.
Updates to this page
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2026-04-01 00:01
Information has been added about help with the cost of living.
2024-04-16 14:35
‘Rapid advances’ are known as ‘new claims advances’.
2024-03-25 09:08
Section 10 of the guidance about the Child Maintenance Service application fee has been removed as there is no longer a fee.
2024-01-16 17:10
If you’ve left an abusive relationship and claim Universal Credit, your work coach can help you to open a new claim as a single claimant. From this moment your ex-partner will not have access to any information about your new claim.You can also get a rapid advance of up to 100% of your expected Universal Credit monthly entitlement. You may get a decision on the same day.