Women’s Aid is outraged that women who have fled domestic abuse are being disproportionately affected by the benefit cap, especially those with young children. The benefit cap has a devastating effect on survivors of domestic abuse as the risk of poverty, if not able to access sufficient benefit support, can leave them trapped in an abusive relationship.

Survivors often flee domestic abuse with nothing but the clothes on their back, and to ensure their safety they often have to leave the area that they live in and as a result their job and home. This leaves them in urgent need of welfare support to help them to rebuild their lives in safety.