Housing advice for victims of domestic abuse

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Who to talk to about housing options

If you feel unsafe at home because the behaviour of your partner or family member scares you, and you are considering leaving, you can contact Oxford City Council for advice and support.

We are here to listen and advise you of your housing options. Our staff understand the impact of domestic abuse and will respond without judgement.

What type of home you live in will affect what your choices are and what help you can get.

Contact details for Oxford City Council:

• Speak to customer services - ask to speak to a Housing Duty Officer (or a Housing Officer if you are an Oxford City Council tenant)
• Visit us in person - ask to speak to a Housing Duty Officer
• Sanctuary Scheme - if you are in any type of housing and the person causing harm is no longer in the property
• For Oxford City Council tenants only, email landlordservices@oxford.gov.uk

Oxford City Council has achieved the Gold Standard accreditation awarded by Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA). This is a national standard for a housing department's response to victims / survivors of domestic abuse and honour-based abuse.

What are my options?

Anyone escaping domestic abuse, including their children, can ask any council in England and Wales for safe housing. Councils must help you as a priority by law.

To choose what’s best for you and your children, check how long you might have to wait for a home in each area. You’ll usually find this information on the Council’s website.

In Oxfordshire, there are five district councils, and you can apply to any of them.

You can also ask to stay in a refuge, which is a safe place for people escaping abuse and their children. Staff there will support you and help you to recover. For safety, you won’t be offered a refuge near where you live, but you can get help to find one further away. To apply for a refuge, you can call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline.

If you feel safe in Oxford City and want to stay here, you can make a homeless application. See our If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless pages for advice on how to apply.

Anyone can apply for help if you are at risk of homelessness due to domestic abuse.

Options for homeowner, leaseholder or shared ownership

It is important that you seek independent legal advice.

If you have savings/investments worth more than £16,000, you would not normally be eligible for social housing, however you can still speak to Oxford City Council’s Housing department for advice about your housing choices.

If you earn enough money to sort out your own housing, you might not be allowed on the Housing Register. You can still ask Oxford City Council’s Housing department for advice about your housing choices.

If your savings/investments are under £16,000 you can speak to Oxford City Council for advice on your options.

You can also make a homeless application - see our If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless pages.

Options for household member

If you are living with family members and you are not a tenant or own the property you can Speak to customer services or see our If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless pages to make a homeless application. 

Options for tenants in the Private Rented Sector

If you have more than £16,000 in savings or investments, you might not be able to get social housing. However, you can still contact Oxford City Council for help finding affordable private rented housing.

If your savings/investments are under £16,000, you can make a homeless application and seek advice and assistance from Oxford City Council - see our If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless pages.

Options for tenants in a Registered Provider Property

You should speak to your Housing Officer who can talk you through your options.

Your options will vary depending on whether you are a sole tenant, joint tenant or living with a sole tenant.

You can also make a homeless application using - see our If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless pages.

Options for Oxford City Council tenants

You can Speak to customer services and ask to speak to a Housing Officer or email landlordservices@oxford.gov.uk, and they will ask a Housing officer to make contact and advise you of your options. 

When you first contact the Council, you only need to say you are experiencing domestic abuse. You do not have to share details straight away. Your Housing Officer will ask for more information later to make sure you get the right help.

If needed, we can provide you with a Place of Safety in an emergency. This is secure, temporary accommodation which might be temporary social housing, a refuge, a hostel, or hotel and must be suitable for your individual needs.

Your choices depend on whether you are the sole tenant, a joint tenant with the person causing harm, or living with a sole tenant. We will explain the differences.

If you have a shared tenancy with the person causing you harm, please seek independent legal advice.

Staying in your own home

We understand that moving home means leaving your community, children’s schools, social network, or your workplace. If you wish to remain in your home and for the person causing harm to leave, then please speak to a specialist service for support and get legal advice.

If you are an Oxford City Council tenant, please Speak to customer services to discuss your options.

Please be aware, separation may make things more dangerous.

If you have an assessment for homelessness and the Council decides you are owed help by law (a ‘statutory duty’), staying in your current home will not affect your right to get this help. For example, you will still be eligible for support under the Relief duty in the Housing Act 1996 (section 189B).

Sanctuary Scheme

After the person who has been causing harm leaves your home, you can use the Sanctuary Scheme offered by Oxford City Council, no matter what type of housing you have. A Sanctuary Scheme can make your home safer. It may include stronger door and window locks, security lighting, alarms, and safety planning with specialist officers.

The Sanctuary Scheme Coordinator will assess the safety of your home and make recommendations for work to be carried out. It is a free service. If you are a homeowner, leaseholder or shared ownership, we do have a small amount of funding to pay for security measures, however you may be asked to pay for substantial work.

Email saferoxford@oxford.gov.uk for details.

Where to get legal advice

Specialist domestic abuse services can talk to you about certain aspects of the law which might apply to you, but they are not solicitors. For legal advice you should always speak to someone with a legal qualification.

• FLAG DV (Family Law Advice Group for Domestic Violence)
• NCDV (National Centre for Domestic Violence)
• DV Assist
• Rights of Women
• Advocate - if you are not eligible for Legal Aid but cannot afford representation in court
• Legal Aid
• IKWRO (Women’s Rights Organisation)
• FLOWS (Finding Legal Options for Women Survivors)

If you have no recourse to public funds

If you are not allowed to claim UK benefits, you are said to have ‘no recourse to public funds.’ This means we cannot give you the same help as people who can get benefits.

You can still Speak to customer services for advice and assistance (under Section 179 of the Housing Act 1996), but we cannot give you housing.

If you have children, Children’s Social Care may help you and your children find a safe place, depending on your immigration status.

If you do not have children, Asylum Welcome can give you advice and support about your options.

Note on housing law and definitions

The ways we can help you depend on the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 (Section 189B of the 1996 Housing Act). This means there are certain things we can and cannot do.

There are some explanations about the duties we have on our Duties to prevent and relieve homelessness page.

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