Tower Hamlets Council has approved a new domestic abuse policy for its housing services, aiming to provide a more consistent, trauma-informed, and victim-centred response to residents experiencing abuse.
The policy, which was formally adopted by the Housing Management (Cabinet) Sub-Committee on Friday, March 27, 2026, is designed to strengthen the council's approach to safeguarding and supporting those affected by domestic abuse within its housing stock. This includes tenants, leaseholders, and residents in temporary accommodation.
Key aspects of the new policy include a commitment to prioritising the safety of victims and survivors, maintaining confidentiality, and making effective referrals to specialist support services. The council will work towards Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) Gold accreditation, a standard that demonstrates a commitment to best practices in addressing domestic abuse within housing. This accreditation is a key deliverable within the council's Your Voice, Our Action
improvement programme and is crucial for evidencing to the Regulator for Social Housing that the council work[s] co-operatively with other agencies tackling domestic abuse and enable[s] tenants to access appropriate support and advice
(Neighbourhood Community Standard). The policy itself is set for review every four years, or sooner if there is a change in legislation, regulation, or best practice.
The policy outlines specific responsibilities for the council, including providing victim and survivor support, ensuring tenancy management practices are sensitive to domestic abuse situations, offering financial support and inclusion, enhancing property security, and robust safeguarding protocols. To ensure financial support and inclusion provisions are effectively communicated and accessible, the council will make a referral to our Income Team or other relevant internal teams for any support that can be provided specifically for victims/survivors.
Residents can make a disclosure directly to their Neighbourhood Housing Officer to discuss matters in confidence. If a resident is in temporary accommodation provided and managed by the Council, they should contact their Neighbourhood Housing Officer or caseworker.
Beyond the Sanctuary Scheme, which provides reinforced doors, window locks, security film, fireproof letterboxes, gates/grills, and in some cases, a secure 'sanctuary room,' the council will use its DASH RIC assessment to ascertain risk level and appropriate support. Regular welfare/health checks may also be made to ascertain potential domestic abuse and risk level.
Housing staff will receive comprehensive training on all forms of domestic abuse, including (not limited to) economic, psychological, sexual, emotional, physical, religious/spiritual, coercive control, mental health impacts, intersectionality, and cultural sensitivity.
They will also be trained on how to make referrals, how to undertake risk assessments, and how to undertake safety planning.
The policy emphasizes multi-agency working, stating that the council is expected to work within a multi-agency framework, including MARAC. All multi-agency meetings should include a clarity of purpose, an agreed understanding of information sharing, risk assessment, defensible decision-making, an action plan with timescales and contingencies, and accurate recordings. Service level agreements and information sharing agreements are adhered to, ensuring that any data shared is done so safely.
Confidentiality will only be breached if specific thresholds are met: children are at risk of harm; not disclosing the information would put the victim or another identifiable person at risk of death or serious harm; a serious crime has occurred or is likely to occur; a partner organisation holds information indicating a person is at risk following a multi-agency risk assessment; or the victim/survivor has care and support needs and is unable to protect themselves from abuse.
The success of the policy will be monitored through business-as-usual performance, safeguarding assurance, and periodic policy review to ensure delivery of the action plan and to detect any disproportionate impacts on protected groups.
Specific monitoring includes monthly compliance/performance reporting, quarterly complaints learning reports, annual tenant/leaseholder surveys, and scrutiny through the Tenants' Voice resident panel. Progress on delivery plans and investment programmes will be reported to senior leadership and relevant member bodies.
The policy was developed with input from the LBTH VAWG team, partner organisations, and victims/survivors, and is considered a key deliverable within the council's Your Voice, Our Action
improvement programme. It also addresses the specific needs of various groups, acknowledging that domestic abuse can be experienced differently based on factors such as gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, age, faith/belief, and socio-economic status. It includes provisions for male victims, those with no recourse to public funds, and ensures that children witnessing or experiencing abuse are also considered victims.
During the meeting, councillors discussed the importance of this policy in meeting the expectations of the Regulator of Social Housing and aligning with the council's broader Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and Women's Safety Strategy. The full policy document can be found in the Public reports pack for the Housing Management Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting on 27th March 2026.
