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Referring to safe accommodation

Do you need to leave your home because you feel unsafe?

Referring yourself for safe accommodation

We will support you if you want to leave an abusive relationship, are experiencing abuse from an ex-partner or family member(s) or to stay more safely in a relationship, and your home. 

You will receive support based on what you need and what you choose to do. We will listen, believe you and help you make informed choices about your future. Together, we will develop a support plan based on your experiences and help you with referrals to other services as needed. Support can be accessed in various ways to suit your needs. This includes face-to-face, telephone and video call.

We have different types of safe accommodation, several that are women only spaces and able to accommodate children and young people in refuge with mum. We also provide other safe spaces that are a mix of staffed provisions or dispersed for men, non-binary and the trans community.

We have different types of safe accommodation such as:

Safe accommodation (Refuge) – 24 hr safe accommodation for women and children
Specialist safe accommodation – for women and children with additional vulnerabilities.
Specialist safe accommodation for trans and non-binary survivors.
Men’s safe accommodation – 24 hr safe accommodation and dispersed safe houses  

Emergency information

If you feel you are in immediate danger or fear for your children, always call 999. 

Silent Solution

If you are unable to speak but need to police assistance, please follow Silent Solution’s guidance to make yourself heard.

When you need to call 999 but can’t talk – the Silent Solution can help. The Silent Solution is a system that filters out large numbers of accidental, or hoax 999 calls while ensuring people can alert police and get help when they are in genuine need but unable to speak.

999 BSL

If you are deaf or hard of hearing and need police assistance, use the link to download the free app 999BSL is the name of the Emergency Video Relay Service in British Sign Language (BSL).

You can also register for the Emergency SMS 999 text service – Contact 999 or 112 by SMS text. You will only be able to use this service if you have registered with emergency SMS first. Register now: don’t wait for an emergency.   To register, text ‘register’ to 999 or 112. Almost immediately you will get a reply – then follow the instructions you are sent.

Woman reading to her children

Frequently Asked Questions

You should be able to come into safe accommodation the same day you or someone who is supporting you makes the referral, as long as there is space and we have the right accommodation for you.  Our specialist services may take longer to be accepted for a space as the referral is more involved as there are more support needs to consider. You cannot book safe accommodation in advance, and we do not have a waiting list.  We also cannot guarantee a safe place in the geographical area of your choice. 
All our safe accommodation locations are kept confidential so that we can keep everyone living there safe. You will not be given any location details until we have accepted your referral and confirmed we have a space for you. Our safe accommodation spaces are in very high demand so there might not always be space when you need it. Our team can assist you to find a space with another domestic abuse service if we do not have any at the time you contact us.
Agencies and professionals supporting you can also contact us via phone or email and our website. We would still like to talk to you to make sure we understand the support you want and need. We want to make sure you have all the information about what choices are available to you.
If you need assistance to travel to refuge let our team know as we may be able to obtain funding under the Women’s Aid Rail To Refuge scheme .
Our accommodation services offer you confidential support. Where possible, we will share information about you with your consent. If we’re worried about your safety or someone else’s safety or if we believe that you or someone else is at serious risk of harm, then we may need to take steps to keep you safe. This may involve contacting safeguarding agencies without your consent. However, we will always work to keep you informed and involved where possible. We will ensure that you are supported and that your wishes are included.

Find the support you need in your local area

Click on your local area or type in the name of your town to find the nearest support available to you.