Domestic Violence
For many victims of domestic abuse, home is not a safe place during the coronavirus lockdown. Daily calls to Refuge, a charity supporting domestic violence victims, have increased by 49% since March 23. The Men’s Advice Line have also seen a rise in calls of 16.6% since lockdown began. The project Counting Dead Women has made a preliminary calculation of least 16 domestic abuse killings of women and children during the first three weeks of lockdown, double the average rate.
How we can help?
*Advice about the options & rights of victims of domestic abuse
- * Help / advice to keep safe.
- * Help to access other support services
- * Help to try & get emergency accommodation
- * Reduce isolation
- * Help to try and access protection orders.
Addiction and substance abuse
The isolation of lockdown and lack of accessible support has left those who are struggling with addiction even more vulnerable. According to Alcohol Change UK, in March, alcohol sales were 30% higher than usual in Britain and out of those who drink in the UK, one in five were reported to have begun drinking more often since lockdown began. Prof Adam Winstock, the founder of the Global Drug Survey, has speculated that the mental health impact of the pandemic could lead causal drug users to take drugs more frequently and since supply is more restricted, users are at risk of withdrawal and potentially moving to more dangerous
substances.
How we can help?
* Assessment of dependency
* Advice about risks, the effects of drugs & alcohol & dependency reduction plan
* Sign posting to other services
* Referrals to access support from other services.
Child abuse
Since the start of lockdown, ChildLine and the NSPCC have both reported an increase in calls to their helplines. In the first month of lockdown, calls to the NSPCC from adults worried about children rose by 20%. They fear that lockdown could be making abuse worse as schools and other spaces are now shut.
How we can help?
* Referral to assess mental health support.
* Help to access counselling
* Well-being advice and sign posting to other services.
Other services
Welfare benefits / finance debt help
- Assessment of current finance issues.
- Help to deal with rent arrears
- Help / advice to apply for PIP, Tax Credits, Child Benefits, Universal Credit, and other benefits.
- sign posting and referral to access support from other services
- Help / advice with debt issues.
Severe physical or learning disability / health issues:
- Sign posting to other service.
- Help / advice to access care services
- Help / advice to claim for or keep disability welfare benefits.
Housing & accommodation problems:
- Help / advice to avoid eviction & referral to other service who may help.
- Help / advice to obtain housing.
- Housing and homelessness advice
- Help to deal with rent arrears
- Help to apply for housing benefit / council tax reduction, universal housing cost & DHP benefit
- Help to report property disrepair issues to the landlord to resolve the issue
- Help to set up and register gas / electric and waters